Original thread by messyG: https://www.exmormon.org/phorum/read.php?2,2510403

NYT article: “ Does the Mormon Church Empower Women? A Social Media Storm Answers.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/22/us/mormon-church-women-latter-day-saints.html?ugrp=c&unlocked_article_code=1.ek0.B3_r.bxFTYsoDVOLR&smid=url-share

Comments will probably open soon. You don’t need a subscription, but they will want you to create an account.

I was able to read more of the back story about the SF Bay Area ward attempts to recognize the women leaders by permitting them to sit on the stand.

Unfortunately, this is an organization which has a church policy about every miniscule detail. Any deviation is expected to reported and corrected. No exceptions.

Always forgetting a part:

It was right before I left the church in 1998. In most wards that I attended, only the bishopric could sit on the stand (save the Aaronic priesthood at the Sacrament table). The organist and chorister would return to the congregation. Speakers would be announced and then they would return to the congregation.

I realize wards may have their own customs, but I was more familiar where all Sacrament "participants/speakers and prayer givers would meet in the bishops office for a quick prayer meeting (and run through of the order of Sacrament program). All (save the closing prayer giver) would sit on the stand and remain there for the duration of the meeting.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/22/2024 04:11PM by messygoop.

It's amazing that women now, who work tough jobs, run families, hold important offices are still deemed not to be equal to men in in the eyes of the mormon god. Good luck with that.

I was *done* with that point of view back in the early 70s. That was fifty years ago. Fifty years!

I don't see a comments section open on the article yet-- hopefully they will add one. Comments on NYT articles often have even more information than the article.

I am amazed that any young women stay in the church. They have managers and teachers and adminstrators and coaches who are clearly accomplished and authoritative women. Then they look at the Mormon Church Church, and women are in charge of children and other women. Period.

That ought to cause some pretty powerful cognitive dissonance.

In my lifetime (and I'm officially old at this point) I can only think of three women who made a name for themselves (as opposed to who they married) in the Mormon hierarchy - Belle Spafford, RS president back in the 1960s, Chieko Okazaki, RS counselor (1970s-80s?) and Sheri Dew. That's all I can think of, for 70 years.

“We are collecting and reading the comments on all the posts and appreciate knowing these heartfelt messages, concerns, thoughts and experiences,” the global president of the Relief Society, Camille N. Johnson, said in an email sent by a spokesMAN for the church. The church provided the comments by Ms. Johnson in response to a request to interview Ms. Dennis.

Even the Relief Society President needs a man to supervise her email, apparently.

The Relief Society could provide a lot of relief with the church's $100B. Which sister gets the checkbook?

For real. The RS at the ward level used to have a reputation for funding worthwhile activities. I'll be the women would know what to do with that $100 billion dollar fund.