Allender Center

Did you grow up in purity culture? Maybe you encountered it through church teachings, Christian schools, youth group pledges, or simply the air of Western ideals about sex, bodies, and “worthiness.”

Maybe you’re asking: Why do I still feel shame when I talk about sex? Why do I feel disconnected from my body? How do I even begin to heal when desire and fear are so tangled up?

Join Rachael Clinton Chen, MDiv, and Lauren D. Sawyer, PhD from the Allender Center for a 2-hour, live webinar exploring the far-reaching impact of purity culture—and how we can begin to untangle ourselves from its grip on our minds, bodies, and relationships.

This conversation goes beyond personal stories—it's a reckoning with a larger system. A system many of us were shaped by, often without consent or the language to understand what was happening.

Together, we’ll explore the impact of purity culture as it relates to:

1. Mind – Expand your understanding of purity culture and how it functions within broader systems of white supremacy and patriarchy.
   
   

2. Body – Explore the personal and embodied impact of purity narratives on your sexuality, desire, and shame.
   
   

3. Relationships – Move toward healing through practices that restore trust in ourselves, our communities, and our connection to the divine.

Your longing, your desire, your questions about faith and identity are not signs of failure—they are invitations to deeper healing.

Whether you're in the middle of deconstructing your faith, struggling with the effects of purity culture, or longing for a more embodied, liberated life—this space is for you. Together, we’ll explore what liberation can look like when it embraces your whole self—your mind, your body, your desire—and when it becomes part of a greater movement toward collective healing, justice, and change.

Live attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions to Rachael and Lauren during a live Q&A.