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LDS church has more work to do on gender equality

The article “Mormonism and Feminism” published in the Oct. 10 issue of The Signpost raised important issues that should be more often addressed. While I commend the author on a well-written and heartfelt article, I believe that it includes some troubling assumptions.

I will preface this by saying that I am not a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and that I am a male.

My opinion results from most of my life having been spent within the culture and company of Mormons. I sustain the idea that freedom of religion is an essential principle in our nation. I respect the religious beliefs of my Mormon neighbors and friends. I see the charity, empowerment and community they obtain through their worship and through their gospel. I believe that all people are entitled the same rights of practice. However, recent events have left questions about the LDS church’s commitment to gender equality.

While the modern Mormon church maintains the appearance of an inclusive and welcoming religion, the excommunication of Mormon feminist and human rights lawyer Kate Kelly on June 23, 2014 harkens back to punitive measures taken against the famous “September Six” in 1993. The punishment of these members is often viewed as a reflection of intolerance towards more free-thinking, liberal Mormons. Many were feminists or had feminist leanings.

Condemnation of these allies to gender equality represents an unfortunate trend that creates fear of excommunication in Mormons who have legitimate concerns about outdated patriarchal structures in the church. This issue goes beyond the boundaries of Sunday gatherings. The political, cultural and economic power of the religion means that many people are regularly confronted by its influence.

Feminism, at its root, is a movement that strives for economic, social and cultural equality regardless of religious norms. It does not desist when it hits the wall of enculturation, fear mongering or narrow-mindedness. In order to be a feminist, one must acknowledge an important fact: Men and women are, and should be treated as, equals.

This means dispelling the idea that women were created solely for men, or men for women. Our relationship to each other is symbiotic; one cannot exist without the other. This also means that despite our physical differences both genders are equally capable of taking leadership roles, parenting children or making difficult decisions. For example, having a child is a choice. Motherhood does not redeem or excuse the suppression of women. Being treated kindly by men is not a guarantee of rights. This is a struggle for representation and fairness, which goes beyond courtesy.

In his speech “Why I Stay,” the LDS activist John Delhin wrote, “I believe that it is now our turn, as Mormons, to figure out how to do this—how to save our culture . . . our heritage . . . and yes . . . our church. I believe that, in fact, we are doing this, and that the past few years, and the next several more, will go down in the Mormon history books as being particularly influential in helping to create more diverse spaces within the church.”

There is no way to create an open and compassionate religion unless you allow people to speak on these important issues without the threat of retaliation.

I believe these changes can and will come from within the church, through brave and honest dialogues like the ones I hear all the time.

The sad truth is that women’s voices do not ring as loud as their male counterparts in many places around the world. The LDS culture is built on masculine foundations that often do not allow for it. This problem persists, and progress will require open minds, compassion and willingness to push on relentlessly toward equality.

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  • A

    AllanDec 9, 2014 at 12:41 pm

    Article should really read. The LDS church members….not the LDS church have more work to do on gender equality

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  • A

    AllanDec 9, 2014 at 12:37 pm

    One more tidbit on my personal view. I don’t believe women are superior to men, I just treat them as if they are.

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  • A

    AllanDec 9, 2014 at 12:34 pm

    This really has nothing to do with the LDS church. It is all about the society as a whole. It doesn’t matter which organization you look at, there is going to ‘appear’ gender inequality. Our culture has changed over the past 2 or 3 generations. Look back to the early 1900’s, women couldn’t even vote. That had nothing to do with the LDS church, other than the fact that the LDS church was one of the strongest supporters of womens’ rights.

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  • E

    ElisabethNov 3, 2014 at 11:38 am

    Simon, this is a beautiful article. Thank you for your insightful thoughts.

    Reply
  • A

    Alexandra ReintjesOct 23, 2014 at 12:22 am

    1. I fail to see how anyone could truly value a person in a role they choose to play without first valuing that person independent of that role. This seems very essential to me. I understand that a facet of the lds church doctrine is that all people are children of god. Sometimes I think even this becomes a role which people interpret as a merit that must be earned. If there is a really and essential value to every individual member of the church it seems that it would also follow that every member ought to be given the same opportunities to engage with each other and with god. Failing this, there is no amount of pomp and circumstance or love and gentility or even respect that can compensate for a lack of equal access to the institution.

    2. I completely support gender equality and am very interested in the complexity, possibilities and progress that the gender equality discussion engenders (ha). I do not think that “feminism”, however well defined (a component of the article which was also appreciated by this reader), is the most productive possible term.

    As judith butler argues in this essay: http://www.egs.edu/faculty/judith-butler/articles/performative-acts-and-gender-constitution/

    Feminists made a significant (ha) mistake when they they elected to frame the conversation around the gender binary. It’s an understandable mistake; many women were angry because they felt excluded from many social structures they ought to have been included in. Maybe that is why this term still has purchase in the lds community; there are still many women who are in a position to be angry. But the subject of their anger seems to often get misplaced. Men are not the problem. There is no great patriarch (whatever the lds members might say otherwise). No boys club with a requisite charter…. At least not among the low ranking membership of the church and in society at large. Men as individuals or as a group dud not create this problem. There are social structures/rhetoric/forms that are reinforced by both men and women which keep gender inequalities suspended in our collective interactions. To over come these structures we do need individuals culture-wide to object to these structures and change them.

    We risk further entrenchment and the subjugation and objectification of both genders when we seek a gendered resolution to this problem. The term, ‘feminism’ implies a gendered or feminine resolution to a problem that we can see both historically and presently is not a problem of genitilia, but flexible human identity and human equality.

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  • J

    Jon BentleyOct 22, 2014 at 10:47 pm

    Very nicely written article. Bob, no offense to you as a person, but your comments are idiotic. Like, not just in my opinion, but objectively idiotic. Please think a little longer before writing words in the future. Rory’s aren’t much better. But again, no offense to you as individuals. Just to your comments. The church (of which I am a member) may have teachings that are incorrect. But I wish that when they alter them, they would at least act like it’s because they have reevaluated doctrine and have owned up to their own past misinterpretations. Because I believe those misinterpretations do exist. Instead, they tend to chalk it up to “new revelation” which just so happens to correspond with popular societal feelings. And this does undermine their whole legitimacy as a divinely-led church. If they could own up to their flaws and admit that they are due to human error and not changing commandments from God, they might just gain some respect rather than lose it. Barring that, I’d rather they stuck with original doctrine, whether that includes stoning or burnt offerings or polygamy. At least it would show a commitment to God and not to the ever-shifting views of the human majority. More to the point, if the church leaders are not going to change their stance on women’s roles and rights, I admire them for standing their ground and supporting the excommunication of these activists.

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  • S

    SkylarOct 22, 2014 at 5:40 pm

    Finally, an article that accurately displays the definition of feminism. Equality in economic, social, political aspects; all aspects. Women and men are equals, and those who are offended by this belief are living in the past. As a woman, my worth is not defined by my genitilia. This statement goes for men as well. We should be able to participate in the pursuit of happiness, and our happiness shouldn’t be defined by unfair guidelines. Equality means opportunity for all to lead the life they wish; for those who are angered by this, direct your anger somewhere worth while.

    Reply
  • R

    ReneaOct 22, 2014 at 1:16 pm

    Rory,
    While I respect your comments “If you will talk to regular women out there and detail what it means to be equal, that is equal in providing for children, equal chances of being drafted, equality in break times, equal to menial, physical tasks like yard work, shoveling, being in the hot sun working all day, etcetera, you will find that women don’t really want to be equal across the board.”
    I would love to ask you about how you can honestly say that women talk about the equality of women in the physical way? Let me say….I know a lot of men who CHOOSE not to be out in the heat all day, women are wanting to be drafted not all but some, just as some men don’t want to be and CHOOSE to illegally NOT register. As far as yard work and shoveling. I know of more women than men that actually do those chores. Many women use it as a way of exercise or have NO other choices but to do it them selves. I feel that your comments are extremely sexist and while you are voicing your opinion which is great maybe you would should look all the way around with your friends and their friends and really see what is going on. Many women do more than a man, not only do we take care of our homes, inside and OUT, raise our children, help with homework, and most are now working a full time demanding job and as demanding as a man’s job, when we go home we still have another 16 hour days of work ahead of us. We are very capable of making decisions and choices the same as a man. Woman and Men both has choices to be made in every aspect in life. God has given women a much stronger pain tolerance and gave them the gift of giving birth. To say we are not as equal is just wrong. God has given us each a choice to do what we want and a body that is different from everyone, a mind that is different than anyones and not one person or sex should ever be judged because of it. To end this, it just amazes me how one can even excommunicate a woman from a Church for being a woman and voicing her thoughts and views. The LAST place we should ever be excommunicated from is a Church where we should feel safe for being who we are and know that God loves each and every one of us, for he has created us – all of us!!

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  • C

    ChrisOct 21, 2014 at 5:09 pm

    Rory, I would like to point out, if I may:
    “You have to admire a church that holds women in high regard for what they bring to relationships, that values their role in families, as well as their potential in all areas”. I think women have more responsibility on this earth than to be a member of a relationship, a member of a family, but more for potential in all areas. Women are CEOs now, Rory. I know, it’s scary thinking that a woman has more worth than simply provide support to her boyfriend, husband, or children.

    Bob: God appears to be doing a bad job. How many positions of authority in the LDS church are occupied by women? Didn’t a woman get excommunicated by the church that she knows and loves by simply wanting equality that is, in fact, a “God-given” right? I recall last year during a ladies, where your pants to church day many of my female LDS friends felt incredibly alienated by their neighbors and friends because they wanted to not wear a dress or skirt to church. I don’t think that’s right. When I accompanied friends growing up to LDS church, I don’t recall seeing anything about a dress code posted anywhere. Why should a nice pair of dress pants be shunned on a woman? God seems to have poor taste in that regard,

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  • B

    Bob SmithOct 21, 2014 at 10:22 am

    I agree with Rory and I have to add; how can you make judgements about a church from which you don’t belong to or fully understand? The LDS church is not ran by men but by God himself through his chosen prophet. Your article title is equivalent to God needs more work on gender equality. Good luck with that. I am sure in the next life you can stand in front of God and tell him that.

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  • R

    Rory PyattOct 21, 2014 at 9:56 am

    Your statement of the definition of Feminism is telling. If men and women are and should be treated as equals, then they are equal mentally, emotionally, intellectually and in every other way. Don’t forget physically. Are you going to say that both genders are the same physically? How about the concept that we are different, but both have equal value in the ways that we bring these differences together. That can’t just add up to intolerance across the board. Maybe it even adds to the level of respect women deserve, rather than just treating them as any other guy.
    If you will talk to regular women out there and detail what it means to be equal, that is equal in providing for children, equal chances of being drafted, equality in break times, equal to menial, physical tasks like yard work, shoveling, being in the hot sun working all day, etcetera, you will find that women don’t really want to be equal across the board.
    Our nation had this discussion decades ago with the fight over the Equal Rights Amendment. It didn’t pass because women didn’t truly want to be equal in all areas and that’s what the passage of the amendment would have meant in the long run. You have to admire a church that holds women in high regard for what they bring to relationships, that values their role in families, as well as their potential in all areas, rather than deploying the same repeated political comments about how unequal they are.

    Reply