Ep. 239 | The Lies of Modesty: Healing What We Learned About Our Bodies
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By Francie Winslow
What were you taught about your body?
If you grew up in a conservative or evangelical setting, you may have heard that modesty is a virtue. And it is — when it flows from honor, self-awareness, and love. But many of us inherited something different.
We were taught that our bodies were dangerous.
That beauty was a liability.
That our sexuality could lead others to sin.
That we needed to cover up, shrink back, or hide because we were “too much.”
Some of us didn’t just hear these messages — we absorbed them. They became the silent rules we lived by. And even years later, they can still shape how we see ourselves, how we engage in marriage, and how we disciple our daughters.
In this week’s episode of the Female by Design podcast, we’re beginning a new series called Lies I Believed. We’re starting with the lies of modesty.
We're naming what many of us lived: the modesty messages that told us our bodies were dangerous, that our presence might cause someone else to stumble, and that it was up to us to manage everyone else’s purity.
It’s the start of a new series — Lies I Believed — and we're beginning by gently unpacking the messages that formed us, and opening the door to healing and renewal.
In the episode, we talk about:
The difference between healthy modesty and fear-based control.
How purity culture messages still echo in our bodies and relationships.
Why your body is not a trap, but a temple — designed for glory, not guilt.
How to raise daughters with dignity and freedom instead of fear.
Whether you're still untangling these messages or longing to pass on a better legacy, this is a space for grace, healing, and new vision.
You are not too much.
You are not a stumbling block.
You are wonderfully made — and worthy of joy.
Let’s walk toward truth, together.