What the Bible Really Says About Premarital Sex (It's Not What Purity Culture Told You)

Untangled, Week 3. The chewed gum was a lie—and so was the property law hiding underneath it.

Content Warning: This essay discusses ancient legal codes regarding sexual violence, purity culture, and bodily autonomy. Please take care of yourself as you read.

I was a little bit jealous when my friend came to school with a pretty ring with a little diamond in it. My parents never gave me any grownup jewelry like that! Then she told me what it was—a …