Post Purity Project Magnolia McKay

"It was sort of this two-faced message of 'well, if you don't want to [have sex], he should respect that. But also, you should really think about whether you're being selfish and you need to...serve him in this way'."

In our interview, Kathleen details the messages she received about sex and gender roles as a newly wed at her ultra-conservative Seattle church. Listen as she unfolds the consequences of being taught that her body belonged to her husband. And hear how she found bodily agency, and the strength to leave her abusive marriage through the support of her faith community. ⚠️ Trigger warning: this episode contains a description of marital rape.

"I didn't know that it wasn't normal for [sex] to hurt. I definitely fell into the category of 'doing wifely duties.'"

In episode two, Magnolia interviews Annie. Annie was raised in a Southern Baptist community, and was so closed off from her own body that her friends called her "trench coat". When she got married as a virgin at 19, sex was painful and she thought that was normal. Listen as she tells how she recovered her relationship with her body after an affair shattered everything.

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The Post Purity Project podcast tells the stories of people who grew up in purity culture and how it affected them as adults. What happened to all of the young people who signed purity pledge cards in the 90’s? We’ll explore what happens when the teachings of purity culture are tested by love, sex, and marriage — or perhaps the lack thereof.

"If a younger version of myself could see me now, I know she’d be shocked at the things I believe and do."

Signed purity pledge card at 12. Married at 22. Divorced at 29.

In this episode, Magnolia tells her story of growing up in a conservative Christian community with strict ideals concerning purity before marriage. You'll hear how these ideals led her to get married at age 22, and how the realities of marriage inspired her to create this podcast and get a divorce.

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The Post Purity Project podcast tells the stories of people who grew up in purity culture and how it affected them as adults. What happened to all of the young people who signed purity pledge cards in the 90’s? We’ll explore what happens when the teachings of purity culture are tested by love, sex, and marriage — or perhaps the lack thereof.