The Dumbest Thing I've Ever Heard Of . . . and I've Heard A Lot.

So I was checking out what was on TLC this weekend, 'cause I'm just that big of a geek, when I happened upon this show about these Purity Balls. Well, this is gonna be good, I tell myself and I was so not disappointed.
It was about these balls that these girls go to with heir fathers (mostly in the southwest Us, but they are catching on all over the country, where they basically pledge to not have sex until they are married. They even sign a contract with their fathers. Oh well, if there's a contract. How creepy?
I had to know more. Lucky me, they have a website (www.fatherdaughterpurity.org ) where you can go to learn that "The Father/Daughter Purity Ball is a memorable evening for fathers and daughters to spend time together . . . and sign a commitment to purity." Wickepedia says that it is sometimes even referred to as a "Purity Wedding" OK, now I'm officially freaked out.
Now, I have never been a huge fan of the whole 'wait for marriage' movement, popular as it is among most people. (You know, the one's mostly out of touch with all sense of reality. I wonder if Sarah Palin's daughter Bristol, or Trigger, or Pokemon, or whatever the hell her name is had to sign one of these ridiculous contracts. Sure did work -- but that's another story) I just find it so unrealistic to expect a person to wait until marriage to have sex, especially when you are also telling them to wait until later and later to get married.
Of course I am not promoting any sort of free-love movement or anything (although it'd be a lot cooler if I did). I'm just saying that there has got to be a way to teach our daughters their self worth with out making them sign some ridiculous commitment to their fathers until they sign some (some would say equally ridiculous) commitment to their husbands. When do these girls get to be masters of their own sexuality?
You certainly don't have to give it up to the first person with a wine cooler at Joe Bob's after-prom party. But on the other hand, perhaps you should experience some of what life has to offer before you make such a major decision as who you want to spend the rest of your life with.
And what about the girls that do save it for marriage, guarding it 'till the end like it's some sort of secret? Guess what? It ain't. What if they make it to the wedding night, they've found the most amazing guy, and they just can't wait any longer, this is gonna be so great, and (drum roll please) it sucks.
Then what? Your stuck, is what. This is it? This is what they make movies about, what wars have been fought over, what Bon Jovi was singing about all that time? This is what I've been saving? What a crock!
Now, please don't get me wrong. Saving yourself for marriage is a totally personal decision and it may work for some people ( I don't know who - but someone). But that's just my point - it's personal. Why do you have to sign a contract with your father, of all people, to prove it? It's more than just a little weird. It's a whole new and backhanded way of sexualizing young girls and in turn cheapening that sexuality by taking their choice out of the equation.
Some people just need to get a grip. If you talk to your daughters and are open about sex and pay them a little attention now and then, then maybe they won't be so apt to fall into bed with the first Joe Six Pack who looks at her. If your daughter knows her own value then she will also be able to identify the people who respect and value her in turn. Maybe it won't be her husband, but who cares? I would rather that, than my daughter wound up married to some dick because she just couldn't save it any longer.
And by the way, why is no one having Purity Balls for boys? Is a boys sexuality not any more precious than a girls? Or is yet again a double standard placed on girls to keep women in their place? If that's the case, it seems to be working. I'm certainly in my place and content to stay there.