Untangling Mormon Sexual Shame

About this episode

The episode discusses the psychological effects of Mormon purity culture with therapist Ashley Buckner.

In Part 2 of their conversation with licensed marriage and family therapist Ashley Buckner, the Sunday School Dropouts crew explores the deeper psychological and therapeutic impact of Mormon purity culture. Ashley shares clinical insights into how LDS structures such as worthiness interviews, the Law of Chastity, and confession culture shape a person’s relationship with their body, sexuality, and sense of autonomy. Drawing from both her professional work and personal experience growing up in ...

People in this episode

Host: Sunday School Dropouts

Guest: Ashley Buckner

Topics covered

• Mormon purity culture
• sexual shame
• psychological impact
• therapeutic insights
• body autonomy

Keywords

• Mormon
• sexuality
• purity culture
• worthiness interviews
• Law of Chastity
• confession culture
• mental health

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: LDS

More episodes of Sunday School Dropouts

• Wrapping Up Purity Culture · June 2, 2026 · 1h 4m
• Holy Disobedience with Melissa Duge Spiers · May 26, 2026 · 57 min
• Let’s Talk About Sex, Baby! (Re-air) · May 19, 2026 · 1h 13m
• Transitioning out of Purity Culture (Re-Release) · May 12, 2026 · 1h 4m
• The Manosphere and the Fundamentalism Pipeline · May 5, 2026 · 1h 26m
• The Secret Psychology of Mormon Wives: Marriage, Conflict, and the Taylor & Dakota Dynamic · April 28, 2026 · 1h 19m