Extremely strict about morality and behavior, disapproving of fun and pleasure, especially regarding sex and entertainment.
From 'Puritan,' referring to English Protestants who wanted to 'purify' the church of Catholic traditions, who were known for strict religious codes and opposition to worldly pleasures.
The Puritans gave us their name for extreme moral strictness, but ironically, many modern 'puritanical' attitudes about sex actually come from Victorian Victorians (1800s), not the actual historical Puritans—so we're using the wrong name for the wrong era.
Applied disproportionately to women's sexuality and modesty as a control mechanism; 'puritanical woman' implies repression, while 'puritanical man' often means principled morality.
Use 'strict morality', 'austere', or 'stringent' to describe ethics without gendered implications about sexuality or shame.
["austere","strict","stringent"]
Women's bodily autonomy has been policed through language linking modesty to virtue; reclaim 'puritanical' critique to address systemic control, not shame.
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