Interesting article! This reminds me of a blog that I recently was introduced to: Scholaristas. My friend's friend writes for the blog, and I think you'd find some of the topics interesting. One of the posts from last month is an interview with Claudia Bushman, who was interviewed in that Tribune article.
I think in the "bloggernacle and other online forums Mormon feminism has been alive. Perhaps ideas on discussions among female and even male members of the LDS Church also foster ideals and ideas about the issues that face female Latter-day Saints. But at times I wonder what such participants in such forums and discussions hope to accomplish. I am honestly curious. Do Mormon feminists, who by the way I am happy to support (even though I work had to purge the male LDS Chauvinism that is part of me as a result of the culture I was weaned on), have a list of goals or objectives? Do they think that they can make change in a top down monolithic organization like the LDS Church that is totally and utterly controlled by men? Please do not view my remarks as condescending. I am honestly curious. And I am honestly frustrated at times because there are many things in the LDS Church that would be wonderful to see changed and modified. And I for a time had the naive ideas that things can change by more "liberal" thinkers from the ground up and that perhaps I could help makes such changes. Alas that fantasy of mine is disappearing. Perhaps in our own wards or stakes we can influence thinking and such to a small extent. But can major changes be fostered in an organization like the LDS Church from grass roots efforts? I am skeptical but would love to hear what others think about this.
I think one of the major benefits of these types of forums is that it gives people a place to vent. I've read many a post where women realize that other women feel the same way about some aspect of the church culture. For many women, realizing you're not alone in your "weird" or "rebellious" thoughts makes a big difference in how you feel about yourself as a person and as a "righteous" woman.
Will it change anything? Probably not. But it gives a support group for us heathens who don't want to go with the flow of mainstream "lds" culture. We'll have to wait and see if it makes any real difference in the way things work.
I appreciate that such forums can be a place to vent and to not feel alone. Certainly it can be difficult to bring up such things in your relief society class on Sunday. Rebels and thinking outside the box are often not welcome in the ward setting. I post on some discussion boards were some more unconventional things are discussed.
As I read the article I pondered some of the things they said had changed in the Church. Things like birth control and how the Church leaders talk about education and such. I wondered "did the feminists influence that or did our did the leaders just realize society was leaving them behind?" Not sure really. I do miss President Hinckley because I think he was more kind and gentle about many things for women as well as in general.
You've got to hand it to the Trib, that's a great article.
And Fautie has a good point about changes within the church. Is the impetus the feminists or simply changes in culture over time? Certainly birth control, women working outside the home, and dress seem to be issues that changed more with the times than due to the feminists (Incidentally, I do believe it was Heber J. Grant that eventually approved that skirts to the knees and sleeves to the elbows were not so depraved as they were thought to be in the flapper era.)
Also, I think church culture tends to be more progressive as a whole (not necessarily from person to person) outside of Utah. I wonder if that doesn't eventually trickle up the chain to church headquarters?
At any rate, I am glad that more and more women within the Church feel that they can be themselves and be Mormon.
Also, sometimes, say, if you're the assistant library at the church building and you see some terrible 1970s literature about the "proper roles" of women, well, you can go ahead and toss it into the recycle bin . . .
5 comments:
Interesting article! This reminds me of a blog that I recently was introduced to: Scholaristas. My friend's friend writes for the blog, and I think you'd find some of the topics interesting. One of the posts from last month is an interview with Claudia Bushman, who was interviewed in that Tribune article.
Fautie says:
I think in the "bloggernacle and other online forums Mormon feminism has been alive. Perhaps ideas on discussions among female and even male members of the LDS Church also foster ideals and ideas about the issues that face female Latter-day Saints. But at times I wonder what such participants in such forums and discussions hope to accomplish. I am honestly curious. Do Mormon feminists, who by the way I am happy to support (even though I work had to purge the male LDS Chauvinism that is part of me as a result of the culture I was weaned on), have a list of goals or objectives? Do they think that they can make change in a top down monolithic organization like the LDS Church that is totally and utterly controlled by men? Please do not view my remarks as condescending. I am honestly curious. And I am honestly frustrated at times because there are many things in the LDS Church that would be wonderful to see changed and modified. And I for a time had the naive ideas that things can change by more "liberal" thinkers from the ground up and that perhaps I could help makes such changes. Alas that fantasy of mine is disappearing. Perhaps in our own wards or stakes we can influence thinking and such to a small extent. But can major changes be fostered in an organization like the LDS Church from grass roots efforts? I am skeptical but would love to hear what others think about this.
Fautie-
I think one of the major benefits of these types of forums is that it gives people a place to vent. I've read many a post where women realize that other women feel the same way about some aspect of the church culture. For many women, realizing you're not alone in your "weird" or "rebellious" thoughts makes a big difference in how you feel about yourself as a person and as a "righteous" woman.
Will it change anything? Probably not. But it gives a support group for us heathens who don't want to go with the flow of mainstream "lds" culture. We'll have to wait and see if it makes any real difference in the way things work.
Fautie says
I appreciate that such forums can be a place to vent and to not feel alone. Certainly it can be difficult to bring up such things in your relief society class on Sunday. Rebels and thinking outside the box are often not welcome in the ward setting. I post on some discussion boards were some more unconventional things are discussed.
As I read the article I pondered some of the things they said had changed in the Church. Things like birth control and how the Church leaders talk about education and such. I wondered "did the feminists influence that or did our did the leaders just realize society was leaving them behind?" Not sure really. I do miss President Hinckley because I think he was more kind and gentle about many things for women as well as in general.
You've got to hand it to the Trib, that's a great article.
And Fautie has a good point about changes within the church. Is the impetus the feminists or simply changes in culture over time? Certainly birth control, women working outside the home, and dress seem to be issues that changed more with the times than due to the feminists (Incidentally, I do believe it was Heber J. Grant that eventually approved that skirts to the knees and sleeves to the elbows were not so depraved as they were thought to be in the flapper era.)
Also, I think church culture tends to be more progressive as a whole (not necessarily from person to person) outside of Utah. I wonder if that doesn't eventually trickle up the chain to church headquarters?
At any rate, I am glad that more and more women within the Church feel that they can be themselves and be Mormon.
Also, sometimes, say, if you're the assistant library at the church building and you see some terrible 1970s literature about the "proper roles" of women, well, you can go ahead and toss it into the recycle bin . . .
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