I found this blog post interesting and reflective of many of my own thoughts. I think that we, especially in Utah, sometimes live the "culture" of Mormonism in addition to the doctrine of the LDS church. This results in added stress, responsibilities, and confusion. I also added some of my own thoughts to the list below.
"In our pining for greater gender equality in the church, we feminists are often told that we cannot change the doctrine, that God’s will cannot bend to the whims and wishes of His children, and that our understanding is too small and dim to understand the lofty things of eternity, so we should probably just accept it on faith and move on.
And blast it, maybe those critics are all spot on.
So here, friends, are some changes that could be made with no doctrinal ramifications:"
1) Equalize funds and funding sources for YW and YM programs.
2) Allow women access to all callings that do not require the Priesthood, such as ward clerk and Sunday School President, and allow women to have oversight of a ward’s finances.
3)Have something for the YW that equals an Eagle Court of Honor.
4) Include more women’s voices in lesson materials, church publications, and General Conference addresses. Okay--maybe not General Conference addresses unless they are more like Sheri Dew.
5) Find a way to incorporate the General Women’s conference as a fully recognized session of General Conference, at the same level of importance as the Priesthood Session.
7) Eradicate teachings that men are incapable of controlling their own sexuality, and that women are responsible for reining in the sexual temptations of both men and women. Of course!
8 ) Allow married women in every ward to file tithing under their own name, regardless of their husband’s membership or level of activity.
9) Allow worthy women younger than 25 to go through the temple even if they aren't getting married yet or serving a mission.
10) Make the Church Handbook of Instructions available to all members, not just leaders.
11) Standardize mission requirements for men and women - same length of service, and same age of eligibility.
12) Use women’s honorific titles with the same regularity that we use men’s. If we insist on “President” Packer, we should insist on “President” Beck.
13) Incorporate inclusive language. Instead of singing “God will force no man to heaven,” we can sing “God will force no one to heaven.” (See Hymn #240.) Instead of talking about mankind, we can talk about humankind. Help your fellow men and women instead of just your fellow men. Easy fixes.
14) Make sure every meetinghouse has baby changing stations in ALL restrooms, and adequate facilities for nursing mothers.
15) Ensure that male and female leaders are present in every meeting that will affect the entire ward.
16) Abolish the practice of many wards to ask for the husband’s permission before extending a calling to the wife, but never asking permission from the wife before extending a calling to the husband. Instead have them come together for all callings extended. This has happened to me before and I found it very offensive.
17)The awards for the Primary-aged children are not balanced either. Cub Scouts get so many awards (patches, beads, cheers, ceremonies…) while the girls get nothing that is tangible. The Achievement Day girls have activities twice per month while their boy peers have activities every week. My daughter is often jealous that we have pack meetings and she has nothing like this for her.
To my knowledge, none of these changes have to do with doctrine; only with changing what has always been done for no apparent reason in this day and age, and should maybe be thought about and changed. They are not threatening. Every ward tends to do things differently, but these are some of the things I have experienced in the many wards I have been a member of. Neglecting thinking about or changing these things is causing tangible harm to many men and women by reinforcing unhealthy stereotypes and setting a standard for inequality that some member and non-members may judge us for. There are some that may be offended by my desire to always think and question, but this is who I am and this is the way I live my life and I make no apologies. I have a strong testimony of the church but feel it is always important to question the status quo. Is there anything non-doctrinal you would change?
