Purified Live: Stories of Living Through Purity Culture

By Audrey Smith,

Published December 16, 2022 at 12:01 PM EST

Four people sitting on a stage with a graphic behind them that reads "Purified: Live Stories of Living Through Purity Culture." A South Asian woman sits on a yellow love seat speaking into a mic and looking at the folks next to her: a Black woman, a Black man and an Asian woman. Those three are sitting on a blue couch. — Three of our storytellers in conversation with Anita during our event "Purified: Live Stories of Living Through Purity Culture."

In October of 2022, hundreds of listeners gathered in the pews of the Hayti Heritage Center for Embodied’s first in-person event: an evening of storytelling about life beyond evangelical purity culture. Produced in partnership with The Monti, Purified Live featured five storytellers, each with a distinct perspective on the lasting impact of the abstinence pledge and the experience of reclaiming their bodies and sexuality. This episode of Embodied features the five stories from that evening, now adapted for radio.

Indhira Udofia, a student in the joint program of social work at UNC Greensboro and North Carolina A&T, opens the show with her experience of embracing her queerness after participating in True Love Waits. Reverend Solomon Missouri, senior pastor at Invitation AME Zion Church, shares how purity culture presents a double standard when it comes to the Christian mandate to care for the sick. Writer and speaker Angie Hong expands on an essay she wrote for The Atlantic about the connection between purity culture and the March 2021 spa shootings in Atlanta.

In the second half of the show, poet and educator Ashley Lumpkin tells a story about “the talk” she didn’t have with her parents, and Ryan Clark of “Touch Podcast” shares what it’s been like to work through the harms of purity culture in the context of his marriage.

Special thanks to Jeff Polish of The Monti, who coached each of the guests through the process of developing their story for the stage. Thanks also to Rylee Ennis of The Monti and Nathan Novero of Touch Media for their work to film the event, and to Jenni Lawson, Al Wodarski and Sean Roux from WUNC for all their work to make this event possible.

A stage with a hardwood floor styled with two couches, two rugs, a DJ table on the back left of the stage and a microphone set up at the front of the stage. Behind the scene is an image that says "Purified: Live Stories of Living Through Purity Culture" projected on a screen.

1 of 9 — IMG_1390.JPG

The set for Purified Life.

Amanda Magnus

A person with dark skin and hair just below their shoulders standing in front of a mic on a stage. Behind them are two couches and a projected illustration that says "Purified: Live Stories of Living Through Purity Culture."

2 of 9 — IMG_1395 (1).JPG

Indhira Udofia, a student in the joint program of social work at UNC Greensboro and North Carolina A&T, was our first storyteller.

Amanda Magnus

A Black man stands on a stage in front of a microphone. He is wearing a suit and glasses. Behind him are two couches and an illustration projected on a screen that reads "Purified: Live Stories of Living Through Purity Culture."

3 of 9 — IMG_1398 (1).JPG

Reverend Solomon Missouri, senior pastor at Invitation AME Zion Church, shares his story on stage.

Amanda Magnus

An Asian woman with brown hair just past her shoulders stands on a stage in front of a microphone. She is wearing jeans, a black shirt and a yellow blazer. Behind her are two couches and an illustration projected on a screen that says "Purified: Live Stories of Living Through Purity Culture."

4 of 9 — IMG_1401 (1).JPG

Writer and speaker Angie Hong on stage in Durham sharing her experiences with purity culture.

Amanda Magnus

A Black person with short hair and glasses wearing all black stands on a stage in front of a microphone. Behind them are two couches and an illustration projected on a screen that says "Purified: Live Stories of Living Through Purity Culture."

5 of 9 — IMG_1409 (1).JPG

Poet and educator Ashley Lumpkin was our first storyteller after intermission at the Purified Live event on October 8th.

Amanda Magnus

A white man with a shaved head and wearing glasses stands on stage in front of a microphone. Behind him are two couches and an illustration projected on a screen that says "Purified: Live Stories of Living Through Purity Culture."

6 of 9 — IMG_1414 (1).JPG

Ryan Clark of "Touch Podcast" was the final storyteller of the evening.

Amanda Magnus

A South Asian woman sitting on a yellow couch wearing a green blazer talking into a microphone. On a blue couch next to her sit a Black person with short hair and glasses and a white man. They are both looking at her in conversation. Behind them is an illustration projected on a screen that says "Purified: Live Stories of Living Through Purity Culture."

7 of 9 — IMG_1417.JPG

Host Anita Rao in conversation on stage with poet and educator Ashley Lumpkin and Ryan Clark of "Touch Podcast" after both shared their experiences with purity culture.

Amanda Magnus

A South Asian woman in a green blazer sitting on a yellow couch on a stage with her arm up in front of her towards the audience. There's a Black person and a white man sitting on a blue couch next to her, and an Asian woman, a Black person and a Black man standing to the side of the couch on stage. All of the storytellers are holding flowers. You can see a woman behind the DJ table behind the yellow couch.

8 of 9 — embodied live show-3.jpg

Host Anita Rao with all five storytellers (and DJ Quilla in the background) at the conclusion of our live storytelling event.

Sandra K. Davidson

Four people smiling at the camera, from left to right: a blond woman wearing glasses and a sheer black shirt; a South Asian woman wearing a green blazer and red lipstick; a person with long brown hair put up wearing glasses and a black shirt and a sheer blazer; and a white woman with short brown hair in all black.

9 of 9 — embodied live show-2.jpg

Team Embodied poses together after our event. From left to right: producer Kaia Findlay, host Anita Rao, producer Audrey Smith and editor Amanda Magnus.

Sandra K. Davidson