Parents outraged over American ‘chastity preacher’ visiting Australia lecturing schoolkids about the virtues of virginity and modesty: ‘Outdated’

A controversial American ‘chastity preacher’ has sparked outrage among parents who do not want him to speak at their children’s schools.

Parents and students are asking their schools to cancel a series of performances by Chastity Project founder Jason Evert.

Mr Evert, from Arizona, plans to give his ‘love or lust’ lecture at Wahroonga’s St Leo’s Catholic College in Sydney’s north, East Gosford’s St Joseph’s all-girls Catholic school and Warnervale’s MacKillop Catholic College on the central coast of NSW.

He will “discuss relationships in a non-judgmental manner,” said a letter to parents of children at the schools.

Parents were told that the lecture would include topics such as the virtues of chastity, virginity and the negative effects of pornography, thus the Sydney Morning Herald.

Parents of children at the schools complain about Mr. Evert’s controversial talking points, including pornography addiction, modesty and the value of abstinence

This will be the seventh time Mr Evert has given speeches in Australia as part of Chastity Project’s outreach programme, which aims to ‘educate’ children around the world.

One St Joseph’s parent, Alison Read, told the outlet she didn’t want her daughter to pick up anythingoutdated views of keeping oneself ‘pure’.”

Another mother, Sarah Greenaway, wrote a letter to the Catholic Diocese of Broken Bay about how Mr Evert’s “perspectives can be harmful and alienating” to students.

In a book he wrote in 2006, Mr Evert had claimed that homosexual acts were “disorderly”.

Despite Mr Evert claiming to have removed the quote more than a decade ago, Ms Greenaway insisted in her letter that his views were “not consistent with many of the teachings of modern Catholicism”.

Commentary videos the chastity preacher posts online have also sparked backlash, including one in which he said “most women don’t want” to take the birth control pill.

An online petition launched by parents and students at St. Joseph’s to cancel the event with the pastor received more than 700 signatures in one day.

Responding to the backlash, Mr Evert told the publication that “the only reason I am invited” to Australia for more speeches is because people like him.

‘TThe presentation is not about hate, bigotry or medical misinformationIt is a positive message that focuses on chastity as a virtue that gives us the freedom to love,” said Evert.

“And on the subject of modesty, I think it is a virtue that both men and women would do well to rediscover.”

Even though Mr. Evert’s lectures were not mandatory, an online petition to cancel his performances received 700 signatures in one day

A mother from the all-girls St Joseph’s Catholic College in East Gosford took particular exception to Mr Evert once calling homosexuals “disorderly”.

The Center of Evangelization of the Catholic Diocese of Sydney organized Mr Evert’s ‘love or lust’ lecture in 2023.

In the presentation, Mr. Evert used statistics to show how abstinence reduces divorce rates and that a lack of modesty can lead to objectification.

“I didn’t even know how to treat a girl until I dated a girl in college who dressed modestly,” he said at the time.

In another respect, he said that if a woman “thinks she’s ready for sex, [but] she’s not ready to be a mother yet, then she has no idea what she’s talking about’.

a Broken Bay Catholic Schools spokeswoman said guest speakers like Mr Evert could providing ‘reassurance and security’ for students’ relationships and sexuality.

Mr Evert’s sessions will not be compulsory for students due to the sensitivity of the subject, but parents told the ABC no one had informed them this was the case before the controversy.

St. Joseph’s principal Carolina Murdoch wrote a letter telling parents that their feedback had been passed on to Mr. Evert.

“Jason was grateful for the opportunity to receive the feedback and assured that his presentation will be delivered in a very compassionate and charitable manner,” the letter said.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Jason Evert and Catholic Schools Broken Bay for comment.