On her wedding day Brelyn Bowman presented her father with a certificate proving her hymen was intact.

“I promise to abstain from fornication ( rubbing and petting) but I will keep myself until I am united in marriage”.

When she was 13- years old Brelyn Bowman made a commitment to her father. She promised him that she would remain to “pure” until her wedding day.

Two weeks ago, after a long and Instagram-filled engagement Brelyn did the deed – she got married (and then probably did that other deed).

At her wedding not only was she presented with a marriage certificate but she had a certificate of her own for her father.

She presented him with a “Certificate of Purity” complete with a doctor’s signature that guaranteed her father her hymen was intact.

Brelyn Borman wrote on Instagram it was one of her favourite parts of the ceremony – being able to give her father that creepy and weird purity certificate.

“Another one of my favs! Dancing with my first love! I was able to present a certificate of purity to him signed by my doctor that my hymen was still intact. Also the covenant he gave me when I was 13. When you honor God, your life will automatically honor others! I love you daddy @drmikefreeman”

Her proud father, Michael Freeman, the founder and pastor of the Spirit of Faith Christian Center in Maryland in the US, shared the moment too that he found out about the state of his daughters vagina on his social media accounts.

With a proud dad humblebrag:

There framed between father and daughter is the “Certificate of Purity”, the second Dr Freeman has received after his oldest daughter too felt the need to show her worth through a doctor examining her hymen and signing off on it’s intactness for her dad’s approval.

The bride’s certificate has gone viral and is sparking debate across the world over the fact that the young bride felt she needed to prove her virginity to her father.

“This is like turning all intellectual and humanistic progress backward,” meducated22 wrote. “Back to the days of handing your father your wedding night bed sheets and possibly being killed for not having a hymen.”

Another poster wrote: “And what on earth does her dad want with a certificate of her virginity? Was he going to stone her to death otherwise?”

And another more succinct (but to the point)  “Did her husband present his certificate too?”

Others supported her but questioned the science behind her decision:

“I love what you promote,” said one Instagram commenter. “Celibacy until marriage. But I wish your message was educational as well. Though not common, your hymen can tear without it being penetrated during sexual intercourse. Just an FYI.”

Brelyn’s father, Mike Freeman told BuzzFeed he had no idea his daughter was going to present him with the certificate at the wedding.

But, boy what a gift huh?

“I was totally unaware of what was about to take place. During the remarks, she shared that she wanted to honor me by not allowing any man to touch her before her husband.” Dr Freeman said.

Good to know she was allowed to talk.

It’s not the first time Brelyn Bowman has promoted her purity vows, posting earlier this year:

The idea that a bride, and not a groom at the very least, must remain “pure” is not just archaic but one that shows women as nothing more than a commodity, and that their sexuality is a bargaining chip and a tool in determining your worth.

Author Jessica Valenti wrote about the obsession with viriginity in some areas of America in her book The Purity Myth:

“The hope I have for women: that we can start to see ourselves-and encourage men to see us-as more than just the sum of our sexual parts: not as virgins or whores, as mothers or girlfriends, or as existing only in relation to men, but as people with independent desires, hopes and abilities.

But I know that this can’t happen as long as American culture continues to inundate us with gender-role messages that place everyone-men and women-in an unnatural hierarchical order that’s impossible to maintain without strife.

For women to move forward, and for men to break free, we need to overcome the masculinity status quo-together.”

 

Mrs Brelyn Bowman, now back from her honeymoon, has launched herself full tilt at her detractors appearing on several US TV shows, and high profile radio stations to explain her purity vows and using the hashtag #makejesusfamous.

Appearing alongside her husband Tim Bowman Jr the happy couple have also managed to  promote his new single. Yep he’s a Christian gospel ginger and actor who also traded on his “purity”.

( And don’t forget to buy the single..)

Great publicity, might not just make Jesus famous, but them too.