No, that's EWWWW. Gah.

I am so, so glad this wasn't around when I was a preteen; my fundie dad might've tried to drag me to one of those things. And I have always hate pink, tulle, and nailpolish.

ew ew ew ew.

That is one of the most disgusting things I have seen in a very long time. Property? My father is watching? I think I will not be able to have sex for the next six months, I'm so traumatized by the thought.

Holy shit! These people get stranger and stranger by the day. The party pack is odd and will do absolutely nothing to prevent these girls from having sex, but that fucking nuts! I suppose, however, that we should be happy. At least the sign is honest - these people only view their daughters as property to be guarded.

Yeah, that whole notion of billing it as a "survivor kit" is weird - usually that's for people who made it through something unscathed. I saw "purity ball survivor kit" and thought it should have a vibrator, pack of flavored condoms, edible underwear, and a feather boa.

And for "going off to college?" With nail stuff and a polka dot cap? Maybe BYU...

One more thing - I'll snark on the grammar. The awkward way it's worded actually makes it state that the package contains "your worth as a girl created by God". Nice to know you can buy that in a kit.

What exactly is vision planning? I'd assume it was a weird term for goal-setting, but that's directly above it.

As soon as I saw the product name I thought, "Oh wow someone has made a kit for girls that were forced to go to a purity ball to wipe off the filth! How awesome!"

Then I read the story...dang, not what I thought.

EG--that's just what they want you to do, don't fall into their trap.

as an actual rape survivor, the use of the word 'survivor' is something that I find so fucking problematic and offensive that I have no fucking worlds to express how I feel--I really don't even know what they are even trying to drive at there

Not to mention that, if I have a daughter, please shoot me if I ever, ever allow her to be referred to as a "princess"

Nail glue? Makeup sharpener? But I thought only whores wore makeup. I am so confused.

My favorite part is how the things that help you survive long, sexless, horrible horny years are sewing and makeup. Be domestic, and be beautiful while you do it! Plus you'll be a virgin, so men will definitely want to snap you up!

Seriously, I was watching Leave it to Beaver. June Cleaver was a great housekeeper, but she was a horrible mom! That's all I'm saying.

So, I took the "My Father Is Watching" to be a Christian thing...not a daddy/daughter thing. Which I think makes it less gross...sort of...but not less tasteless.

The whole thing is just straight-up awkward for me as a 23 year old. Can you imagine being 12 and getting this as a present from Aunt Maggie for getting your period? I'd be using the sewing kit to stab out my own eye.

"And is it just me, or does the use of the word "survivor" in conjunction with the Purity Ball concept make it sound like a veiled reference to child sexual abuse?"

OK, I'm pretty sure I figured this part of it out. The word she wanted was "survival," not "survivor." Like a highway survival kit or something like that.

It's a package with a lot of little stuff in it, with a lot of different functions, but all supposedly directed to one general purpose, like a highway survival kit has flares, jumper cables, some repair tools, things like that.

So yeah, the whole kit concept is silly and creepy (and $65!!!), but the choice of the word "survivor," I think, arises from poor English skills or poor hearing or poor reading or poor memory, and is not in and of itself creepy beyond the creepiness of the enterprise as a whole.

>>>So, I took the "My Father Is Watching" to be a Christian thing...not a daddy/daughter thing.

I did, too! But in the context of stuff like the dad/daughter dating ritual and the Purity Ball, it seems to muddle their intended meaning a bit...

Oh, sheesh. Of course the "my father" bit is supposed to be God, which would be easier to understand if not all the leters were capitals (then it would be Father). I didn't even catch it. I am so backslidden. My grandmother would weep.

I'm not a father yet, so I'm not going to say much about what I will do as a parent - as they say, everyone does their best parenting before they have children.

That said, I can say pretty definitely what I *won't* do, and that's allow *anyone* to refer to any daughters I may have as "property". If she herself did so, I would get her into therapy posthaste, and anyone else would be responded to with a vehemence that might result in assault charges.

What's more, I think that almost all of the fathers I know would do the same (though I do know some abusive ones, so...). What the hell kind of father wants his children to grow up thinking of themselves as something that can be "trespassed on" (as opposed to occupied by a rightful owner, I suppose), for the love of all the benevolent gods? What do these people believe that it's twisted natural human affection into...this?

Incidentally, I read the earlier post, and I agree...while I fully intend to take any daughters I may have out for ice cream, among other things (though I hope she doesn't expect fumblefingered old dad to be much use with sports), I will commit seppuku with the spoon before I refer to it as a "date" in any but the most joking manner.

OMG. These people are in Atlanta. I am going to try to get them on a podcast interview.

Stay tuned...

"Mommy, why does Daddy put surveilance cameras on my hooha?"

When I see "purity ball", I think "purity test". Anyone remember that from the late 80s?

heh.

I can think of a few things to put in that kit that would assist these "survivors" a hell of a lot better than nail polish and sewing kits . . .

I'm not sure how I feel about the AIDS-referencing tee, which reads "Clubbin: $15.00, Condoms: $3.95, AIDS: Priceless."

It could almost be read as promoting safe sex practices, but instead of "$3.95" it should have a list of all the places you can get condoms for free!

bittergradstudent: You may end up shooting a lot of people that way. As one who's had a daughter for the last 8 months now, already my death count would be outnumbering my fingers (I still have a full set, so I'm not cheating on that). And she can't even talk or walk yet.

People are constantly saying that she's "her daddy's little princess." Not true, she's my little daughter, no royalty involved. Kinda pisses me off too, but it's rather a lot of people to shoot.