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A PHENOMENOLOGICAL ANALYSIS of FEMALE PURITY PLEDGERS' SENSE of IDENTITY and SEXUAL AGENCY by KATRINA N. HA

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A PHENOMENOLOGICAL ANALYSIS of FEMALE PURITY PLEDGERS' SENSE of IDENTITY and SEXUAL AGENCY by KATRINA N. HA View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by K-State Research Exchange THIS IS WHO I AM: A PHENOMENOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF FEMALE PURITY PLEDGERS’ SENSE OF IDENTITY AND SEXUAL AGENCY by KATRINA N. HANNA B.A., Arkansas Tech University, 2010 A THESIS submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree MASTER OF ARTS Department of Communication Studies College of Arts and Sciences KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY Manhattan, Kansas 2016 Approved by: Major Professor Dr. Soo-Hye Han Abstract At the turn of the 21st century, an ideological movement defined by many as the modesty movement helped push sexual abstinence as a controversial yet significant public issue in the United States. Concerned with a “hyper-sexualized” culture, modesty advocates urged young women to make a pledge to remain pure until marriage. Following the the growth of the movement, feminist scholars have been critical of the movement and the potentially detrimental consequences of purity pledges on young women’s identity, sexuality, and sexual agency. This study takes a step back from this critical view of purity pledges and listens to young women’s lived experience of making a purity pledge and living a life of purity. Specifically, this study asks how purity pledgers understand and enact purity and how they perceive their sexuality and sexual agency. To answer these questions, qualitative interviews were conducted with nine young women who at some point in their life made a purity pledge. A thematic analysis revealed three major themes: 1) living a pure life is situated within multifaceted perspectives on purity, 2) living a life of purity consists of negotiating multiple “selves,” and 3) living a life of purity grants and reinforces a sense of agency. A composite description illustrates that religious messages, parents, peers, and sex education classes continue to influence their understanding of purity and sexuality. This project concludes with a discussion of theoretical implications surrounding the idea of a “crystallized self” and practical implications of this study on an organizational, familial, and personal level. Key terms: Purity, purity pledge, sexuality, sexual agency, identity, crystallized self Table of Contents Acknowledgements ......................................................................................................................... v Dedication ...................................................................................................................................... vi Preface - Summer 2006 ................................................................................................................. vii Chapter 1 - Introduction .................................................................................................................. 1 Chapter 2 - Literature Review ......................................................................................................... 8 Liberating Women’s Sexuality ................................................................................................... 8 The Evangelical Modesty Movement ....................................................................................... 11 Speaking of Sex: Understanding Purity and Modesty .............................................................. 17 Young Women as Sexual Individuals ....................................................................................... 20 Sexuality .............................................................................................................................. 20 Sexual Agency ..................................................................................................................... 23 Theoretrical Background .......................................................................................................... 28 Chapter 3 - Methods...................................................................................................................... 32 Researcher Standpoint .............................................................................................................. 33 Procedures for data collection ................................................................................................... 35 Participants ........................................................................................................................ 35 Procedures ......................................................................................................................... 36 Data analysis ..................................................................................................................... 38 Chapter 4 - Analysis...................................................................................................................... 39 Purity Defined and Enacted ...................................................................................................... 39 Religious influence ............................................................................................................... 40 Parental influence .................................................................................................................. 42 Peer influence ........................................................................................................................ 45 Sex education influence ........................................................................................................ 47 Theme 1: Living a pure life is situated within multifaceted perspectives on purity ............. 49 Enactments of purity in various contexts .......................................................................... 54 Internal enactments. ...................................................................................................... 55 Physcial enactments. ..................................................................................................... 56 Within the context of marriage. .................................................................................... 59 iii Identity and Sexual Agency ...................................................................................................... 60 Theme 2: Living a life of purity consists of negotiating multiple “selves” .......................... 60 Within the context of marriage ......................................................................................... 63 Theme 3: Living a life of purity grants and reinfornces a sense of agency .......................... 64 Composite Description ............................................................................................................. 70 Chapter 5 - Discussion .................................................................................................................. 74 Theoretical implications ........................................................................................................... 74 Purity and a “crystallized self” ............................................................................................. 74 Sexuality and a “crystallized self” ........................................................................................ 79 Practical implications ................................................................................................................ 82 Chapter 6 - Conclusion ................................................................................................................. 84 Future research .......................................................................................................................... 85 References ..................................................................................................................................... 89 Appendix A - Interview Protocol ................................................................................................ 101 iv Acknowledgements First and foremost, I must thank Dr. Soo-Hye Han for the countless hours and constant effort she put in this project. Without a doubt, this project would not be what it is without her guidance and thoughtful feedback. A graduate student could not ask for a more dedicated thesis advisor and mentor. Thank you, Soo-Hye. Second, I would also like to thank my committee members, Dr. Sarah E. Riforgiate and Dr. Greg Paul. Not only am I grateful for their patience and willingness to be on my committee, but I know that the expertise and perspective they brought only enhanced this project. Finally, I would like to thank Darren Epping and Emily Roth for lending their support and ears through the duration of this project. Your willingness to listen to my ideas and frustrations was on numerous occasions a source of release and comfort. v Dedication For my parents. Your endless love, support, and words of encouragement my entire life has given me so much strength. Dad, in more ways than you can ever know, you have been the rock on which I stand. Mom, the woman you are today is the woman I hope to become. I love you both. vi Preface – Summer 2006 In a borrowed dress, I wait nervously in line among other young girls who are dressed similarly to me. There is high anxiety and excitement as we wait for our moment. The double doors open, this is it. In one last nervous act, I pull up on the top of the strapless dress - which my thin frame cannot fill out - to secure it in its proper place before I step through the doors. The applause and approving smiles that greet my entrance remind me that this is no ordinary
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