Purity Culture Dropouts: An Interview with Erica Smith

Purity Culture Dropouts: An Interview with Erica Smith

From Confessions of A Reformer by Mike Maeshiro

March 23, 2026 · 45 min · Season 5 · Episode 32

About this episode

Erica Smith discusses her work in sexuality education and the impact of purity culture.

Season 5: Episode 32 Erica Smith is an award winning sexuality educator and consultant with 25 years of experience. She developed the Purity Culture Dropout™️ Program to help people learn all of the sex education that they missed growing up in purity culture- sex ed that is accurate, queer inclusive, trauma informed, compassionate, and comprehensive. She has since worked with hundreds of people to help them learn about healthy sexuality after high control religion and was named one of the Most Influential LGBTQ+ Leaders in 2025 by The Philadelphia Gay News. Throughout her career, she has provided comprehensive sex education and advocacy to young women and LGBTQ+ youth in Philadelphia’s juvenile justice system, worked in abortion care, and supported HIV positive youth, transgender adolescents, and their families. Erica is the author of The Purity Culture Recovery Guide: The Shame-Free Sex Ed You Deserve. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Everything Numa ⁠ Erica Smith Website | Instagram | Threads

People in this episode

Guest: Erica Smith

Topics covered

  • purity culture
  • sexuality education
  • LGBTQ+
  • trauma informed care

Keywords

  • Purity Culture Dropout
  • sex education
  • healthy sexuality
  • high control religion

Mentioned in this episode

Products: The Purity Culture Recovery Guide

Books & works: The Purity Culture Recovery Guide: The Shame-Free Sex Ed You Deserve.

Places: Philadelphia

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