Abstract
In the intersection between politics, religion and the private sphere of young Americans, this thesis explores the impact of the contemporary evangelical Abstinence movement. The Abstinence movement is a reaction to what evangelicals regard as a sex-craze in society. With particular regard to control over pre-marital sex as represented by the abstinence pledge and the Abstinence-only sexual education program, I investigate the pressure and various influences that young Americans are faced with. Exploring the situation for young girls in particular, I find that the normative quality of these control mechanisms has definite consequences in these girls lives. The thesis also pays specific