Can feminist and Mormon co-exist?

[Fiannan]

[Q] So unitl polygamy comes back we can still learn from women's examples in our past. [/Q]

until?? Are you making plans already? ;-)

Nah, with my luck it won't happen until I'm old and gray anyway.

[MarginOfError]

I do see the advantages, however. If it were me, I'd choose one wife who likes to cook, one who likes to take care of children, one who likes to clean, one who's very good with tools, and one who has a lucrative career. Then I'd spend my days playing golf and fishing.

[BusyMom]

As a working woman in the church, I can tell you that there is a lot of judgement placed on working women. No one even takes the time to understand the situation. It's become such a competitive situation in my ward that it's ridiculous, there's not sisterhood, it's just a competition to see who does a better job in whatever (homemaking, party planning, child rearing, etc). I have also chosen to pursue a second Master's degree to be able to work in my chosen field after an unexpected job transfer for my husband. I believe that polygamy will come back in the future but until we quench this competitve spirit (and it exists all over the USA, probably the world) it will not work! The women have to learn to accept and work together for the good of all and not try to be better than one another.

[Moksha]

In support of Fiannan's last link showing how women can be more attractive by eschewing feminism, this video is has a similar message:

Remember and let your natural sweetness shine through!!!

Edited June 22, 2008 by Moksha

[BusyMom]

Oh my! that is hysterical!!!

[abqfriend]

The word "feminist" is a word in our society with many meanings. Some of these meanings are emphasized by the secular media. We get one view of what a feminist is.

If a feminist is a woman who wants equal rights in her place of work and be thought of as equal in society -I have no problem with that.

Women should not be second class citizens in our society-as they are in other societies.

I am not an LDS member. In my church, as in yours-there are different roles for both men and women. In my religious tradition-women cannot be priests. I believe it is the same in yours.

In society-women bear children, men cannot. Does that man a woman is inferior?-I do not think so.

I do not see the role of a woman being less than the role of a man.

Their roles are different-but is one inferior to the other?---I do not think so.

Society trys to make us think that--but such is not the case.

So-can a Feminist and a Mormon Co-exist?

I am not a Mormon-but I think the answer is yes -depending upon how that person defines feminist.

[Hemidakota]

From that remark, Eve is a feminist. LOL

[Fiannan]

From that remark, Eve is a feminist. LOL

Nah, if Jewish folklore is in any way accurate his other wife, Lillith was the first feminist.

[anas13]

Though we live in a world today that will give woman the same rights as man, people don't except this. We still have to work twice as hard to only be reconized lower than men.

[Moksha]

Though we live in a world today that will give woman the same rights as man, people don't except this. We still have to work twice as hard to only be reconized lower than men.

Bah, there are more women in the world. Let them lead a coup. All power to the people!

[Fiannan]

You know, the true measure of a feminist is if she hears an intruder in her home at night how fast can she load a 9mm and confront the intruder and be totally willing and able to send the guy to meet his maker!

What's that saying? God made man but Colt made them equal:D

[BusyMom]

I would have to say I would have a hard time killing someone just over stuff in the house but if they were harming or intending to harm my children that would be a different story!

[Guest Leeanntheonetwo]

As a working woman in the church, I can tell you that there is a lot of judgement placed on working women. No one even takes the time to understand the situation. It's become such a competitive situation in my ward that it's ridiculous, there's not sisterhood, it's just a competition to see who does a better job in whatever (homemaking, party planning, child rearing, etc). I have also chosen to pursue a second Master's degree to be able to work in my chosen field after an unexpected job transfer for my husband. I believe that polygamy will come back in the future but until we quench this competitve spirit (and it exists all over the USA, probably the world) it will not work! The women have to learn to accept and work together for the good of all and not try to be better than one another.

I agree with Busy Mom. I hang with many of the young women in my ward. Most are competing for the guys. It' all begins when we are young. I can see my sisters when they get a little older, they will just repeat what Busy Mom's generation has done or worse.

My girl friends are way to competitive for me. I just want to be their friend. I fear for my generation, they are about to repeat the same mistakes as my mother's generation or even worse. Busy Mom is right, we must work together for the good of all or we will fail all together.

Let love guide us,

Leeann

[Stacey_Jay]

I am something of a free spirit. Im not sure I would define myself as a feminist in the burning bras sense, however, I do have a hard time with women's role in the church. I think women have the right to work and a career just as much as men. I dont think children should suffer for it, but who's to say the man can't stay at home if the woman earns more?? Also, I dont like the pressure on women to just find husbands and reproduce. Although having a family is undoubtedly a positive for most people, I think its a very personal decision and not one anybody should make for another. If a couple decides not to have children I think that is between them and God. I dont like the judging that goes on in the church over these issues. I hear members say all the time how men and women are equal in the church but just with different roles. I feel this is untrue.

[MarginOfError]

Although having a family is undoubtedly a positive for most people

I just read a summary of an article that found that people with children are not as happy as people without children. In fact, the only measure on which people with children scored higher was in "feeling a sense of purpose in life." So is having a family really a positive for most people?

Disclaimer: This is a discussion idea, I don't necessarily agree with everything the article reported and have some serious reservations about the study's design.

[BusyMom]

I think that when the ideal is working, families can be very healthy and happy. The problem is that life often deals a very interesting set of challenges that takes most families away from the ideal. I tried to stay at home with my children at one point but there was no money to do anything. I could not afford to buy art supplies or enroll my kids in classes or even pay for a zoo membership or the gas to get there. I think it is of little benefit to stay home if you can not do things with your kids and enjoy being a stay at home mom. I was miserable! My bishop finally told me to get a job because we were struggling to pay our basic bills. I felt guilty going to work because I had been told and believed I was "supposed" to be a stay at home mom and be happy about it. It is important to have balance. If you are going to stay home, you should be able to enjoy it. If you need to go to work, you should feel good about your ability to contribute not guilt. In fact, in my last ward I finally overcame the bad feelings and went back to work. My kids were in a good childcare center and I loved the staff. I loved my job, it gave me a reason to get up in the morning and keep going. I had someone in my ward tell me that I should ditch the job because I needed to be home nurturing my children. It took a lot for me to not tell her that paying the bills and keeping mom sane was niurturing my children the best I could right now. I think we have to stop the guilt and remember that the ideal is awesome but most of us are living a skewed reality and need to find joy and happiness in the situation we find ourselves in. Are the roles themselves oppressive? In a good to ideal situation, probably not. Can people who don't understand make the roles oppressive? Absolutely!