Women in the Church

One thing that has baffled me is the outsider's perspective on Mormon women. I can see where most stereotypes and misconceptions about Mormons come from, but I cannot see any reason for the falsity of notions stating that women are considered of lesser importance... that women should be, "barefoot and pregnant" and that Mormon women are inherently submissive-- or are inevitably forced to be so in order to survive in the Church.

My experience as a woman in the Church has never resembled any of these ideas-- in fact, ever since I converted to the Church I have never felt more respected, appreciated, and admired as a woman. I have also never been around a group of men who have greater honor and reverence for womanhood and its challenges.

In fact, it is a running joke in Mormon culture that women are the better of the two, and the men are serious.

These are some quotes from our beloved Prophet Gordon B Hinckley who recently passed away:

"Notwithstanding this preeminence given the creation of woman, she has so frequently through the ages been relegated to a secondary position. She has been put down. She has been denigrated. She has been enslaved. She has been abused. And yet some few of the greatest characters of scripture have been women of integrity, accomplishment, and faith.=
We have Esther, Naomi, and Ruth of the Old Testament. We have Sariah of the Book of Mormon. We have Mary, the very mother of the Redeemer of the world. We have her as the chosen of God, described by Nephi as “a virgin, most beautiful and fair above all other virgins” (1 Ne. 11:15)."

"There are some men who, in a spirit of arrogance, think they are superior to women. They do not seem to realize that they would not exist but for the mother who gave them birth. When they assert their superiority they demean her. It has been said, “Man can not degrade woman without himself falling into degradation; he can not elevate her without at the same time elevating himself” (Alexander Walker, in Elbert Hubbard’s Scrap Book [1923], 204)."


Our new Prophet, Thomas S. Monson, said the following remarks at last October's session of General Conference (bi-annual meeting where all the leaders of the Church give talks)

"As I speak to you, I realize that as a man I am in the minority and must be cautious in my comments. I’m reminded of the man who walked into a bookstore and asked the clerk—a woman—for help: “Have you got a book titled Man, the Master of Women?” The clerk looked him straight in the eye and said sarcastically, “Try the fiction section!”
I assure you tonight that I honor you, the women of the Church, and am well aware, to quote William R. Wallace, that “the hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world.”

I include these quotes because aside from my word saying that women are nothing but valued and cherished in the Church, I admit that there are good and bad people in every religion (and good and bad people who are not religious whatsoever)... and with that truth comes the fact that I am certain some women have had less positive experiences. Overall, the women are loved, and their value is always highlighted :-)

I love it!