The Friendly Feminist 
Family Psychologist 

Purity culture is a term used to describe the social and religious messages that tie a person’s worth to their ability to adhere to a collection of very strict moral rules. Although most commonly associated with sex and intimacy, it can shape how safe it feels for us to have needs, express those needs to others, make mistakes, or trust our own judgement.

Even though I can’t remember the specific moment where I learned the term [religious trauma]...it was like a light switched on – suddenly the patterns, pain, and stories I was hearing had a name and a deeper context. Someone’s religious background and faith experiences went from being just a bullet point in their story, to being the focal point in a constellation of many interconnected stars.