What's In a Name?
So, I finally did it. I took the plunge and started a blog. I'm sure my Facebook friends will be relieved that with this new outlet, the number of my MoFem posts is sure to go down. I've been contemplating this for months, composing hypothetical blog posts in my mind. Then Pants happened, I thought it might be too inflammatory and trendy or I'd look like I was just a Feminist because everyone was doing it. Like all the Ravens fans that came out of the woodworks this past month.
And then there's that word... Feminist. What do I even mean by that?
Let's play a family word association game!
I'll say something and then you all say the first thing that comes into your head, ok? Go!
Me: "Feminst"
Older sister: "Sonia Johnson"
Mom: "Man-hater"
Brother: "Lesbian"
Dad: "Excommunication"
I don't know about any of you (assuming anyone is reading this) but to me Sonia Johnson has become the ultimate threat to the Latter-Day Saint who is interested in Feminism. I believe the thought process goes something like this: "Occasionally checking out AskMormonGirl is one thing, but be careful! You may end up an excommunicated lesbian if you're not careful!" And I do believe there is some small grain of truth to that. These are dangerous ideas when taken to the extreme, as all powerful ideas are. Which is exactly what the world has done with these ideas. We started out with the radical idea that women are human beings, that they should be able to vote, control their own bodies, live their lives as they would like, maybe even own land... but eventually we got to such extremes as the idea that all relationships which involve commitment are inherently oppressive and that no differences between the genders can exist without there being disparity of their worth and that somehow, pornography and promiscuity are liberating. That's what happens when Satan takes a grain of truth and twists.
So just for clarity, let me define what feminism in the context of the LDS church means to me. The cause of feminism in the church for me is based in the fact that I believe that the pure doctrine and God himself are entirely just and loving and that men and women stand before God in perfect equality. I also believe that many members of the church do not understand these doctrines and do not value their roles equally. I also believe that we have a long way to go for our culture to be more in line with our doctrines. I also believe that we are led by righteous men who are called of God... but they are men, shaped and affected by the society in which they live. And frankly, I believe a lot of members just don't really care, and are happy to accept the easiest interpretations of doctrine, which are almost always wrong. Basically, I believe that equality between the sexes is there in our doctrines, but it can be woefully hard to find at times.
I don't understand the doctrine perfectly and I certainly don't know everything about the issues, but I have spent as long as I can remember struggling with these types of questions and seeking answers and I have found some. I hope they can help some people find their own answers or at least help people consider these issues in a different light.
And then there's that word... Feminist. What do I even mean by that?
Let's play a family word association game!
I'll say something and then you all say the first thing that comes into your head, ok? Go!
Me: "Feminst"
Older sister: "Sonia Johnson"
Mom: "Man-hater"
Brother: "Lesbian"
Dad: "Excommunication"
I don't know about any of you (assuming anyone is reading this) but to me Sonia Johnson has become the ultimate threat to the Latter-Day Saint who is interested in Feminism. I believe the thought process goes something like this: "Occasionally checking out AskMormonGirl is one thing, but be careful! You may end up an excommunicated lesbian if you're not careful!" And I do believe there is some small grain of truth to that. These are dangerous ideas when taken to the extreme, as all powerful ideas are. Which is exactly what the world has done with these ideas. We started out with the radical idea that women are human beings, that they should be able to vote, control their own bodies, live their lives as they would like, maybe even own land... but eventually we got to such extremes as the idea that all relationships which involve commitment are inherently oppressive and that no differences between the genders can exist without there being disparity of their worth and that somehow, pornography and promiscuity are liberating. That's what happens when Satan takes a grain of truth and twists.
So just for clarity, let me define what feminism in the context of the LDS church means to me. The cause of feminism in the church for me is based in the fact that I believe that the pure doctrine and God himself are entirely just and loving and that men and women stand before God in perfect equality. I also believe that many members of the church do not understand these doctrines and do not value their roles equally. I also believe that we have a long way to go for our culture to be more in line with our doctrines. I also believe that we are led by righteous men who are called of God... but they are men, shaped and affected by the society in which they live. And frankly, I believe a lot of members just don't really care, and are happy to accept the easiest interpretations of doctrine, which are almost always wrong. Basically, I believe that equality between the sexes is there in our doctrines, but it can be woefully hard to find at times.
I don't understand the doctrine perfectly and I certainly don't know everything about the issues, but I have spent as long as I can remember struggling with these types of questions and seeking answers and I have found some. I hope they can help some people find their own answers or at least help people consider these issues in a different light.
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