A Note From Megan | This Note explores the connection between “modesty culture” found in many high-control religions and “the male gaze,” which upholds patriarchal beauty standards both inside and outside of religion.
The Religious Harm Recovery Digest | If you’re re-evaluating a purity culture marriage after deconstruction, this Digest will walk you through areas that may change over time, what to notice in yourself and the relationship, and how to think about possible next steps.
A Note From Megan | In this Note, I explore the complex question of whether men and women can truly be “just friends,” challenging traditional beliefs that are influenced by both purity culture and pop culture. I also share my evolving perspective on ways attraction, friendship, and connection can exist outside the gender binary.
The Religious Harm Recovery Digest | Many people leave purity culture feeling disconnected from their bodies, but what’s often labeled “sexual dysfunction” may actually be your nervous system doing exactly what it learned to do in a high-control system. This Digest offers a more clinically-sound way to understand what’s happening in your body.
A Note From Megan | Purity culture can narrow the way you’re taught to evaluate relationships, especially when “relationship with god” becomes the main filter. In this note, I talk about marriage-first dating, the checklist mindset, and what it can look like to rebuild a fuller, more human way of seeing yourself and others.
The Religious Harm Recovery Digest | Have you ever felt pressured to meet your partner’s needs at the expense of your own desires? If so, it’s worth pausing and asking where that pressure came from. This post unpacks the “never say no” script from purity culture, how it distorts consent and connection, and what it can look like to rebuild a sexual ethic rooted in choice instead of obligation.
The Religious Harm Recovery Digest | This RHR Digest explores how purity culture’s focus on modesty, bodies, and gender roles can mirror grooming dynamics. When children are taught that their bodies are dangerous or responsible for others’ behavior, it can disrupt consent, autonomy, and safety in ways that linger well into adulthood.
A Note From Megan | Purity culture doesn’t stop at policing our sexuality. It can also show up as a rigid belief that there is one right way to live, work, eat, rest, or engage socially. This Note looks at how purity culture thinking may still seep into our day to day lives even after leaving a high-control religion.
The Religious Harm Recovery Digest | In this newsletter, we explore 19 profound ways that purity culture suppresses our understanding of sexuality, from framing desire as dangerous to making sex feel like an obligation. If you’ve ever felt conflicted about your desires or how to communicate your needs, this discussion might resonate deeply and offer insights for reclaiming your sexuality on your own terms.
The Religious Harm Recovery Digest | In this issue, we explore the concept of becoming “one flesh” in relationships and how it can lead to the loss of individual identity, unrealistic expectations, and a troubling sense of ownership over partners. We’ll also consider how reclaiming your sense of self is essential for fostering genuine intimacy and healthy connections after purity culture indoctrination.