Latter Day Saints Culture

Gabriella S. Davida 12 April 2013

Cultural Anthropology Dr. Braun

Culture of the Church of Latter-Day Saints:

Women Finding Autonomy Within a Patriarchal Society

Within the female membership of The Church of Latter Day Saints (“LDS”),

there is no role or category of women that are “successful” career woman within the context of a

Modern day democratic society. Is the cause for this lack of representation in the ranks of

successful business and career women, grounded solely in the beliefs and teachings of the LDS

Church or are there other factors and influences at work beyond the LDS Church? Are those

other factors environmental, cultural economic or due
to educational attainment levels? Does

the LDS Church

really control the role of all women members, or only married women? Is the LDS religion used

as a legitimate excuse for a woman not to reach her full potential? This fact will be examined

and the answers to the questions it raises in the context of a modern day democratic society.
will be found.

In order to examine the questions raised above, one must establish not only the culture

within LDS but also the categories or types of women which have evolved over the years.

Interestingly enough, these types of women, are not only categorized by those who have

Studied them, but also the women themselves. Social Scientist, like all scientist, are always

looking to list, type and categorized the subjects they study. One such social scientist, Lori

Beaman, has based on her studies of over 28 Mormon women, has identified, three (3) types

of women in the Mormon Church who like Beaman have also identified and classified

themselves as being (i) Molly Mormons.;(ii) Mormon Feminists and (iii) Mormon Moderates.

Their views are shaped by the teachings of the Mormon Church and their role models for their

respective positions are primarily other woman rather than the men within the context of the

Hierarchy of the Church. Implicit within these categories is the premise established by Elizabeth

Ozorak, that notwithstanding that these women have accepted the inequalities of the Church
they

have dealt with it through “‘cognitive restructuring’-reinterpreting their environment and

adjusting their responses to it” (Beaman 2001; 66), in much the same way as women in other

conservative religions. By doing so, they are able to maintain their self-esteem without entirely

abandoning their religious beliefs and their place with the religious hierarchy. The “Molly

Mormon”, is described as the traditional or “good” Mormon women who follow the church

teachings in all aspects of her life basically without question.. It is for all intents and purposes a

label, as there are exceptions and overlaps into the other categories based on the ages of the

women and where they are in their life cycle. Not surprisingly the Molly Mormons make up the

very young women of child bearing age and the rearing of family is their essential role. They are

contrasted by the “moderates” who are women, who may be part of the labor force but also

might be the women who are most active in the Church and navigate power through taking on

more senior responsibilities. Since they cannot be Priests, based on the current view of biblical

scripture, and interpretation, they nonetheless accept the subordinate role outwardly, but wield

the power indirectly not only in the roles they perform at the Church but also, the position they

see themselves within the family. They see themselves as equals with their husbands, and

almost enjoy not having the outward responsibility of being the breadwinner and the decision

maker, yet, they have, based on what they gain for themselves and their families, believe they

have power and they use it. The moderates can be young married women, young college age

women as well as single middle aged women. The “Mormon Feminist” is the anthesis, of the

Molly Mormon, in that she is outside the Church’s teaching in her views. However, she may still

be part of the Church working within the hierarchy to gain power for women. She unlike either

of the others, believes that women should be treated equally within the Church including

holding the position of priest (Hansen 305). .. Any attempt at taking real or perceived power

from women is challenged by the feminist. Some have been excommunicated but continue to

voice their views. They like the moderates, see any diminution in the power of the Relief

Society which was established in 1900 and the purview of women where they once wielded considerable power and control as a threat..(Derr 1).
The “working” woman is most notably found in this category. Some feminists were once traditional women, who now in their 60s look back and question the present day role of women, given the modern society in which they live. In terms of the highest rank within the LDS, that of priests and bishops, the Molly Mormons celebrate the strength of their male priests and “valorize their own roles as mother” (Beaman 80). The Mormon feminist, who makes up the smallest identified segment, sees priesthood as a right to be extended to males and females. The Moderates, use interpretation of their own moderate rule to find equality in their relationships with husbands and even the greater rights they have to stay home and be mothers and have their husbands “treat them well and cater them. “All though some attempts have been made to equate the role of mother, which is based in nature and associated with the concept of the “Heavenly Mother”, with the priesthood, which is derived from the “order of law” (Beaman 69) none even those put forth convincingly by the Feminist, has raised the level of esteem of women in the male dominated hierarchy. Instead the moderates convince themselves and those who question them, that they share all decision making with their husbands and are therefore equal partners in their life. They simply do not question, they
have no higher role in the church and believe that in the family, the responsibilities are shared and the male and female specialize in different areas (Beaman 77).

The LDS like many others conservative religions have a bureaucratically organizational structure with male dominate authority. Gender and not merit are determinative of whether one has a leadership role in the Church. However, unlike other traditional religions, such for example the Catholic religion, the membership in the Church does not dictate, whether a woman, can or will be able to succeed in the work place or corporate world. What separates the Mormon Church from other religions is that it encompasses all aspects of the woman’s life. There is no separation or compartmentalization, whereby one can be a subordinate traditionalist within the Church and also a US Senator, or Fortune 500 CEO. Unlike other Christian religions, the prescribed role for women is that of homemaker as the primary role. In cases where employment is necessary for the sake of supporting the family, women are encouraged to pursue more cottage industry jobs, as well as home based jobs such as day care centers and home teachers and tutors. Mormon women, unlike other non-Christian conservative religions, are encouraged to seek higher education. But not for purpose of having a successful and rewarding career. Education is a benefit to the family. If the husband becomes ill or dies, the woman is prepared for “public” life and can seek employment to supplement the family income. A study done by Chadwick and Garret (1995) found that women who worked in the paid labor force, experienced guilt or other negative feeling over the tension between being employed and the teachings of the Church. (Beamnan 71). It is difficult, even today, in 2013 to alleviate that guilt and remain in good standing with the Church. In fact, the women today have even less opportunity then they did when they crossed the prairies to Utah, and helped build the Temples and schools and create the Mormon community and the Relief Society. Out of necessity they rose above the role of mother and homemaker and fulfilled at the time would be considered their full “potential”.

How then, does one analyze the question, of whether a women can reach her full potential, if given the culture of the Church, the LDS really has no place in the modern world (Geddicks 7). The modern world and our democratic society have accepted and encouraged equal rights for women. The LDS excommunicated Sonia Johnson for actively supporting the Equal Rights Amendment passed in 1980. (Beaman 66). The greatest honor within the Church is to be a priest, but women are denied that right and any senior leadership roles within the Church.. Given the separation of church and state, the ERA does not apply to religions. There appears to be no middle ground between the traditional church and the current political and social climate. Based on their nature of God, the primacy of the Bible and relations of faith and works of Salvation (Gedicks, &) the Church has issues with respect to fitting in to the mainstream modern society and does not take a political stand, notwithstanding that it has divisions with the Church theology itself. The teachings are the cultural influence of the religion which holds women back from reaching their full potential, in the economic world. A woman may reach her full potential in sports, and academics while seeking an education, but once she marries, her role is defined and she must then work within the family unit to navigate any power.

Within the role of mother, and their intense dedication to the home, and family the Mormon women empower them to seek and enjoy leisure, at the expense of their husbands or head of household. Rather than feeling victimized, the stay at home, unlike the accountant interviewed by me, view their lifestyle as empowering, as they gain “leisure entitlement” for their role as dedicated mother and homemaker. (Freeman -). This sense of empowerment can best be viewed only within the construct of the hierarchy of the Mormon Church and does not look beyond the role of women outside of the Church.

The structure of the Mormon Church is more than its teachings which are interpretations which have changed, over time with respect to other issues such as polygamy and the view of acceptance of African Americans in the Church in 1978, is by far the clear determinant and more likely the deterrent to a Mormon woman having a “successful career” in our modern democratic society. Despite some fairly current dialogue on how the bureaucracy and the gender issues might be modified within the hierarchy of the Church (Derr 39)in order to provide the access and environment for a woman to succeed, the Church remains, as one article claims, “No Man’s Land” or rather No woman’s land.

The interview with Mrs. Collet, the accountant from Provo Utah, which is one of the more conservative Mormon Conclaves in Utah in but an anomaly.