It's time to stop using demeaning object lessons to talk about the sanctity of sex.
A chewed stick of gum. Tape that’s lost its stickiness. A torn up piece of paper. Unwrapped gifts. Dirty chocolate.
All of these analogies have been used to describe girls who had sex before getting married. And all of them equate to the same message: Your worth is inextricably tied to your sexual purity.
The chewed stick of gum analogy is one kidnapping victim Elizabeth Smart remembered hearing.