Synopses & Reviews
and#147;Students of rhetoric should appreciate
Making Chastity Sexy for the sophistication of its argument about 'counter-public' advocacy. Others will welcome it for keen insights about the recent history of American evangelicals and, even more, Christine Gardner's striking comparisons between chastity rhetoric in the United States and in East Africa.and#8221;and#151;Mark Noll, author of
The New Shape of World Christianity: How American Experience Reflects Global Faithand#147;Christine Gardner has written a terrific book that moves beyond tired survey research-based studies to give us a rich and engaging in-depth analysis of the language through which evangelical abstinence movements attempt to persuade teenagers to refrain from having sex. We learn not only about programs in the United States but also in Africa where abstinence has been advocated to prevent HIV/AIDS. Making Chastity Sexy shows clearly the power of rhetoric and#150; and its unanticipated consequences.and#8221; and#151;Robert Wuthnow, Princeton University
"Written in an engaging, often journalistic style, Making Chastity Sexy offers compelling insight into the rhetorical strategies of contemporary evangelical sexual abstinence campaigns and illuminates a remarkable variety of responses to these campaigns by teens and young adults." and#151;Angela G. Ray, Associate Professor of Communication Studies, Northwestern University
Review
and#8220;Making Chastity Sexy offers a convincing critique . . . will appeal to a broad audience.and#8221;
Review
and#8220;An excellent qualitative examination of how religious persons make sense of their sexuality within contemporary society.and#8221;
Review
and#8220;Making Chastity Sexy is important and perceptive in a profound way. . . . Brilliant.and#8221;
Review
“Making Chastity Sexy offers a convincing critique . . . will appeal to a broad audience.” Frank Schaeffer - Huffington Post
Synopsis
Even though they are immersed in sex-saturated society, millions of teens are pledging to remain virgins until their wedding night. How are evangelical Christians persuading young people to wait until marriage? Christine J. Gardner looks closely at the language of the chastity movement and discovers a savvy campaign that uses sex to and#147;selland#8221; abstinence. Drawing from interviews with evangelical leaders and teenagers, she examines the strategy to shift from a negative and#147;just say noand#8221; approach to a positive one: and#147;just say yesand#8221; to great sex within marriage. Making Chastity Sexy sheds new light on an abstinence campaign that has successfully recast a traditionally feminist ideaand#151;and#147;my body, my choiceand#8221;and#151;into a powerful message, but one that Gardner suggests may ultimately reduce evangelicalismand#8217;s transformative power. Focusing on the United States, her study also includes a comparative dimension by examining the export of this evangelical agenda to sub-Saharan Africa.
About the Author
Christine J. Gardner is Associate Professor of Communication at Wheaton College.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
Abstinence, AIDS, and Evangelicals: An Introduction
1. From Abstinence to Purity: The Changing Tropes of Chastity
2. Of Purity Rings and Pop Stars: Using Sex to Sell Abstinence
3. and#147;Someday My Prince Will Comeand#8221;: The Fairy-tale Narrative and Female Power
4. Disciplining Sexuality: How American Evangelical Youth Are Committing to Abstinenceand#151;and Sticking with It
5. The Fractured Fairy Tale: When True Love Doesnand#8217;t Wait
6. Fearing God, Not AIDS: Abstinence in Africa
7. The Condom Conflict: Saving Lives or Promoting Promiscuity?
8. Whatand#8217;s Not So Great about Great Sex
Appendix: List of Interviewees
Notes
Bibliography
Index