I was chatting with a friend today about the new feminist movement within the LDS Church, ultimately aimed at getting women to hold priesthood leadership positions within it. She feels strongly in support of it. I do not. I remember about a year and a half ago, there was this push to have woman show their support by wearing pants to Sunday Services. This civil disobedience had the determination that somehow showing that we dress like men meant we were the same as men.
With all due respect to this friend of mine, it's total nonsense. Since I am speaking on a religious issue, it's a great opportunity to share my personal testimony of my believe in the Church I belong to. I understand some of my readers may not feel the same way. This isn't meant to alienate or even convert anyone. It's simply a part of me, and I can't really compartmentalize it out of this blog. I love my belief system, but that doesn't mean I don't hold respect for others who might disagree with me. So before you go on, know this; I truly strive to love as my Father in Heaven does, that means everyone! He doesn't withhold love from any gender, race, religion, or even lifestyle. He loves you, and I model my life after His Son's, who modeled that love perfectly. If you disagree, bare with me. I have some more secular thoughts as well.
The group or movement believes that women are being treated unfairly and unequally within the LDS Church and it's community. They feel this way because women don't hold the priesthood. They "believe that much of the cultural, structural, and even doctrinal inequality that persists in the LDS Church stems from the Church's reliance on- and enforcement of- rigid gender roles that bear no relationship to reality," as stated to the media and on the Facebook page of the movement.
The almost humorous thing is, the LDS Church doesn't care if you were pants to Church so the pun is really on them. In regards to the campaign the Church released a statement saying, "Attending Church is about worship and learning to be followers of Jesus Christ. Generally Church members are encouraged to wear their best clothing as a sign of respect for the Savior, but we don't counsel people beyond that."
To this, supporters say, "It isn't really about the pant's. It's about equality," but really it's about tit-for-tat. It's about wanting every single thing a man has, as if that indicates we are equals. It's flawed. I don't need such things to feel equal to men. A diamond is vastly different than a nugget of gold, but both hold the same value, and both are needed to make a stunning diamond ring.
The women who follow this movement are upset about some odd things in my opinion. They are upset that men can be bishops and women can't, that men hold the priesthood and women don't. To that I say, why do you want it so bad? Holding that priesthood comes with a lot of responsibility, obligation, and a promise that if you don't honor it, you'll be held accountable. The other thing about the priesthood is this. Holding is does nothing whatsoever for the holder, it only enables him to serve others. A man can't give himself a priesthood blessing, and a bishop isn't paid for his hard work and sacrifice. Women don't need the priesthood to serve others as faithfully as men do. We only need to seek those opportunities and God will provide them. So you want me to have the priesthood? No thanks!
Really this whole thing just makes women seem petty. Once upon a time there were many genuine reasons for women to complain about equality, when we couldn't vote, or hold property, or things of that nature. Even today I'll admit there are things in this world that are unfair. It's unfair that some musicians can become millionaires by singing about women in such a disrespectful way. It's unfair that a woman, just as able, and educated, makes a significant amount less than a man does in the same job. It's unfair that in a lot of places in the world women are really treated like trash, but, and even saying this I long for fairness on those issues, the token has another side.
There are also issues in equality that don't favor men. Just ask the man who fathered the child of the pregnant woman who gets to proclaim that her body is hers and she and only she should have a say in what happens to the unborn child in her womb. Ask the man working 2 or 3 jobs so he can pay alimony to the wife who selfishly ended their marriage with infidelity. Ask the father who'd give anything to take care of his child, but instead has to settle for 2 weekend visits a month, and a child support check he has to pay. An unfortunate fact that stands true, is that as a whole world society, we haven't reached true equality yet, but in the fight for it we should be protesting those things, not the Church, which in my opinion actually models true equality. If the whole world followed that example this wouldn't be a social discussion. I suppose that's my opinion though.
Sure there are traditions within Church culture that may be unfair, but these traditions are carried out by members, not the Church itself. Sometimes people act as if the members of the Church aren't as varied and flawed as every other religion out there. We are human, just like everyone else. The problem is, these women are trying to counsel the Church, and trying to counsel God.
If their message was to point out, and encourage change in the flaws of members of the Church, who judge others, I may have a different opinion on the matter. Members of the Church aren't perfect, and sometimes we have the tendency to judge each other. It's true there are those who judge and gossip about women who wear pants to Church. If this protest's message was aimed at showing members who act that way, that we shouldn't think that way, or if it was to support those who's best really is a pair of slacks, I might be a supporter, but no. The point of it is to get a message across to the leaders of the Church that some women want the priesthood.
What they fail to see though is God is the head of the Church, and as a perfect being He has no need of being chastised by us, his children who are in every way not his equals. If they could only see past the 3 men on the stand at Church every week, and grasp the true order of the gospel, they wouldn't find issues with equality.
I have always felt special and valued as a woman in this Church, often above men. If you truly study the gospel you'll find that Heavenly Father treasures us! This "protest" will do nothing but show disrespect for God. The Church has never told me I'd be kicked out or excommunicated if I wore pants to Church. I know women who already do and they've never been told not to. This just seems to me a little like a child refusing to eat dinner because they are mad their parents put broccoli on their plate. Refusing the sustenance will only hurt the child, and broccoli isn't bad and certainly wasn't meant to show that parents are better than the child.
The truth is this and here's where I share my testimony. I am a daughter of my Heavenly Father, who loves me and I love him. I will stand as a witness of God at all times, and in all things, and in all places. I believe as I strive to live the roles He set for me, and accept the divine role assigned to me, I will receive blessings, both in mortality and eternity. My part will ensure I obtain exaltation. There is nothing promised to men that isn't also promised to me.
If you're still reading this, and aren't Mormon. I apologize. That's a lot of information and I assume at times it was pretty confusing if you aren't versed in the dialogue of my religion. The next part of this post will go in to the biggest reason I feel this whole things is hogwash.
It feels like extremely misguided feminism. The whole feminist movement in general seems to have veered in the wrong direction, down some dark alleys that have turned it into something else. There's the one side of it that states that women shouldn't be confined to stereotypes. We can do whatever men can do! That sounds all fine and dandy, but when a woman, like me, has chosen to spend her life cooking meals, and raising children, she becomes labeled as an insult to women everywhere, a betrayer of the cause. It's impossible for me to declare my worth as a woman, unless I abandon my family, get a career, and concede that children are a prison who robbed me of my true womanhood. We must homogenize our gender. Don't celebrate your fertility, end it, or you don't support feminism. Motherhood is the enemy to feminism! That's really backwards...
If it's not that its veered far past equality and straight to superiority. Women are not equal to men. We are better than men! We can do everything they can do, and we can do it better. We deserve MORE credit than men. This seems to be the current end goal of the feminist movement. That's not fair. It isn't. It's hypocritical and ignorant.
Why do we want to be the same anyway? Our differences are a blessing.
As a woman I see it. I know that being a woman rocks! My natural ability to be nurturing, and see beauty is a blessing! The fact that I was able to grow 3 beautiful children in my womb is incredible! Why would I want to get rid of those things, just to be like someone else? In every other aspect of life uniqueness is celebrated, and encouraged! Why not this? We hear it all the time, "Don't conform!" Why should I conform to be just like a man?
I have abilities and gifts my husband doesn't have, why shouldn't he have abilities and gifts I don't? That's true equality! My gifts, and his, when combined bless our entire family. We are different. Biology tells us so. We can try with all our might to be the same, but it'll never be true. Equality is possible without conformity. Equality means bringing us to a place where women are viewed as of the same value, not pretending we are men. I don't want to be a man. The only thing worse, in my opinion, would be pathetically trying to be one. I love being a woman! Don't join the movement that makes you feel you need to be something else. Real feminists see that.
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