The Strangest Documentary I've Ever Seen

Have you ever watched a documentary that was so bizarre it almost took your breath away? I experienced that feeling after viewing Virgin Tales.

Virgin Tales chronicles 2 years in the life of the Randy Wilson family which consists of Preacher Dad, Homeschooling Mom, 5 daughters and 2 sons. The kids are—you guessed it—all fanatical virgins who are saving even the first kiss for their wedding day.

In an effort to share their message with the masses, the Wilsons created the Purity Ball, an annual dinner dance where virginity is “pledged” to dads by their ever-so-obedient offspring.

According to the Wilson daughters, virginity makes them strong. It also makes them think whirlwind courtship are the norm and college is “wasted” on girls who aspire to be only wives and mothers.

Make no mistake, this is scary fundamentalism at its worst.

Most people, myself included, believe that teens should be abstinent. Teaching teens about potential consequences and encouraging them to remain virgins is admirable. What I’m totally against is the idea that fathers are in charge of their daughters sexuality. That’s not only inappropriate, but borderline obscene.

While the forced virginity is bad, that’s not the main offense. Girls deserve an education just like boys. Why do the Wilsons and other fundamentalists like them encourage sons to attend college and join the military but advise daughters to stay at home until marriage? Do they not recognize that this makes women isolated, ignorant, and financially vulnerable?

What happens, 20 years from now, when one of their girls wakes up and finds herself married to a Ted Haggard clone? Without any independence, she will be trapped in a marriage that’s loveless, miserable, and potentially dangerous.

Perhaps the Wilsons and other Evangelical Christians don’t realize that in a modern society girls can join the army (4-Star General Ann Dunwoody) and boys can be ballet dancers (Ronald Reagan Junior).

There is no need for such an exaggerated, unobtainable ideal of super-charged masculinity and femininity. Children should be taught morals, yes, but they shouldn’t be shamed and confused. They should be given the tools they need to make wise choices. They should be allowed to have their own identity—whatever that may be.

The biggest irony of Virgin Tales is that even with all the misinformation and insufferable patriarchy, it seems the Wilson girls still want to carve out their own paths. Married daughter Khrystian is a singer-songwriter while unmarried daughter Jordyn runs her own etiquette school. I hope both of them continue to grow and succeed in their chosen professions. They are pretty, capable, and ambitious ladies who deserve the best life has to offer.