Purity Culture Harms: Healing Shame, Reclaiming Pleasure, and Body Autonomy

Purity culture has left deep scars—especially for people of the global majority, women, queer folks, and those navigating the intersections of religion, culture, and colonialism. In this episode of Emboldened with Jessica, we explore the harms of purity culture, from shame and silencing of desire to the loss of body autonomy.

Jessica breaks down how purity culture isn’t just a 1990s evangelical trend—it has roots in colonial control, patriarchy, and the policing of marginalized bodies. You’ll hear trauma-informed insights, somatic healing practices, and compassionate tools to help you release shame, reconnect with desire, and reclaim your pleasure.

✨ If you’ve struggled with shame around your body, desire, or relationships, or you’re supporting someone who has, this episode offers resources, reflection prompts, and hope for a more embodied, liberated life.

 

✨ Topics we cover:

• What purity culture is and how it extends beyond white evangelicalism

• How it uniquely impacts BIPOC, Asian, and Latine communities through colonialism

• The hidden harms: shame, sexual disconnection, and silencing of desire

• Somatic + body-based practices for healing

• How caregivers can teach consent to protect kids from purity culture’s harm

• Steps toward reclaiming pleasure, autonomy, and embodied freedom

 

📚 Jessica’s Cozy Book Nook

Books referenced in this episode are thoughtfully curated to support healing, sexual health education, and reclaiming bodily autonomy. You can explore these titles through Emboldened with Jessica’s Bookshop, or access them through your local library.

• Recovering from Purity Culture: Dismantle the Myths, Reject Shame-Based Sexuality, and Move Forward in Your Faith by Camden Morgante
  A compassionate and practical guide for unpacking purity culture, releasing shame, and rebuilding a healthier relationship with faith, sexuality, and self-trust.

• The Vagina Bible by Dr. Jen Gunter
  A science-based, myth-busting resource that offers clear, affirming information about vulvovaginal health and bodily literacy.

• Becoming Cliterate by Laurie Mintz
  An accessible and affirming exploration of pleasure, desire, and closing the pleasure gap through education and self-awareness.

• Sex Talks: The Five Conversations That Will Transform Your Love Life by Vanessa Marin
  A practical framework for building intimacy, communication, and clarity in relationships—without shame or performative vulnerability.

• Come As You Are by Emily Nagoski
  A foundational text on desire, arousal, and sexual well-being that centers context, nervous system regulation, and self-compassion.

• Come Together by Emily Nagoski
  A follow-up guide focused on cultivating intimacy, pleasure, and connection within relationships through curiosity and attunement.

🔗 Browse these and more in Jessica’s Cozy Book Nook:
👉 https://bookshop.org/shop/Emboldenedwithjessica

 

📢 Call to Action:

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💗 Want to support the show? Leave a review or drop a tip here: buymeacoffee.com/emboldenedwithjessica

 

🎙️ Show Credits

Host: Jessica Jackson
Produced by: Ariele & Jessica
Edited by: Ariele