Blog Tag: women
1826
Written by
27
Of Porn Shoulders and Other Nasty Behavior
I know what they say in ward council. I know what they say because I, too, used to sit there and say that. When my name comes up, they shake their heads and ask if anyone’s had contact. “Yes,” someone will reply. “I texted her. She seems fine.” They probably lament that even the very elect are misled when we aren’t vigilant and hold to every word that proceeds from the mouth of God, or God’s prophet. The best way to know if you're one of the elect is to stop going to church. Then, leaders and friends are...
587
Written by
Parents Teach, Children Decide
Someone once described parenting to me like blowing as hard as you can on a cannonball that has already launched in an effort to make it change course. Now that I am a mother, I can understand that comment much better. Despite our tireless efforts as parents (as in other aspects of life), so much seems out of our control. In many ways, that is an extraordinary and magical thing. Why should my child be just like me or my husband? If I only wanted to stare at a copy of myself, I would’ve looked in a mirror and...
410
Written by
What Does Active Mean Anyway?
Recently in a conversation a person I was talking with stated somewhat jokingly that whether or not I consider myself ‘active’ in the church probably changes from day-to-day. The comment caught me off guard and surprised me. I’ve never thought of myself as active or inactive. Upon reflection though, I understood this person likely made that comment because my church participation currently looks much different than it did two years ago.
Strike 1: Mine and my children’s records are not in our geographical ward. This came about after one of my children experienced years of exclusion, a particularly insidious form...
1035
Written by
Women Should Be Bishops
I think that women (not just men) should be called as LDS bishops. In fact, I think women should be bishops more often than men. When people argue about whether or not women should or could be ordained in the future it often comes down to the concern, "Do you want a young mom with little kids called as the bishop? That would be impossible for her!" But I disagree. I think it makes sense for women to be bishops at all stages of life, and for a lot of different reasons. I'll go through a few scenarios in...
1656
Written by
You Know Someone Who’s Had an Abortion
Content Warning: abortion, infertility, pregnancy loss
Statistically, you probably know someone who has had an abortion. Were you a safe enough person for them to trust with that information? Did you work to create an environment where they were less afraid of being open about their experience? Maybe you were the one who had the abortion. Did you feel like you could talk about it with others close to you or that it was something you had to go through alone?
I know of at least four women who have had an abortion. These women come from different generations and walks...
700
Written by
The Body is Political: Part 3
My mother needed a bank account. Her husband, my stepfather, frequently spent their income before the end of the month, leaving us with little food and no money for the mortgage. So she set aside a few dollars out of every shopping trip for lean times. In the 1990s, though, many banks wouldn’t give an account to a married woman without her husband’s signature. They certainly wouldn’t give an account to a married woman who didn't have a job. As a workaround, I, her 19-year-old daughter, opened a new savings account and added her as an authorized user.
I saw...
763
Written by
Come Follow Me: Ruth; 1 Samuel 1-3 “My Heart Rejoiceth in...
Intro question: There are two books in the Bible named after women. Today we’ll be looking at one of them. What are they?
Our focus today is the book of Ruth. This is a beautiful intimate story of family relationships and love that go beyond duty and obligation. My goal is that we read this story and discuss what we can learn from these characters and how we can take this story and apply it to our lives today.
Background: This book is set in the time of the judges. Not sure when this book was written. It could be quite...
1187
Written by
The Body is Political: Part 2
Giving consent one time, or to one thing, does not mean consent every time, or to everything. What works for you today may not feel ok tomorrow, and that’s ok. God gave us bodies, and told us to be joyful. Sex can be a beautiful experience. It should be. And if it isn’t, it is not your job to suffer through it.
795
Written by
Jesus Made a Feminist Out of Me
Growing up, I never heard the f-word in my house. No, not that one, although I didn’t hear that one either; I didn’t hear the other f-word: (whispers) feminist. I did encounter the word early in adulthood. This word challenged me; I was simultaneously drawn to it and afraid because of what I had been taught. Was identifying with this word the slippery slope to hell?
In my 20s while in graduate school, working my first professional job, and birthing my first baby, I spent a significant amount of time trying to understand the gender teachings, the gendered system of...
899
Written by
Guest Post: When I Realized I Was A Radical Feminist
Guest Post by Laura. I am a writer, teacher, wife and mother who loves to read all kinds of books. I reside in Texas with my family and a house full of pets.
I am a feminist.
If I’m being honest with myself, I suppose I have always been one, but for most of my life I wasn’t aware of this fact because I never understood the true meaning of the word. When I was growing up as a Latter Day Saint in the Bible belt, it was a loaded term, akin to calling someone a communist and conjured images of...
What is Exponent II?
Exponent II provides Mormon feminist forums for women and gender minorities across the Mormon spectrum to share their diverse life experiences in an atmosphere of trust and acceptance. Through these exchanges, we strive to create a community to better understand and support each other.
Exponent II was founded in 1974 by a group of Mormon women in Cambridge, Massachusetts. These women were inspired by the original periodical, “The Woman’s Exponent,” to create a forum “posed on the dual platforms of Mormonism and Feminism.”
For 50+ years, Exponent II has shared women’s voices in its quarterly magazine, and members of the community have convened at an annual retreat. Our reach has expanded as technology has advanced: the blog, founded in January 2006, has reached millions. As we look to the future, we are focused on growth and building a more inclusive community.
