Saturday, January 17, 2015

MMM: Seeds of Unorthodoxy

I have a guest post up over at Modern Mormon Men, a group blog that I started reading 4 years ago. In fact it was some of their posts that prompted questions that led to my faith transition.

The story is over on their site: 

Sunday, January 4, 2015

Moderate Mormon Feminist Wish List 2015

We saw a lot of feminist changes in the year 2014 in the LDS church, big and small. We saw women of color praying for the first time in a General LDS Meeting, CES policy changes of women with children at being able to teach as a full-time employee, and many more.  As a moderate Mormon Feminist, I advocate for baby step changes that help expand the understanding of the role of women in God's plan. This morning on twitter I put together a list of wishes of my own, big and small, that I'd like to see happen as a Mormon Feminist in 2015:
  • Women may serve as witnesses in and out of the temple 
  • Women can serve in Sunday School Presidencies (and eventually, as Clerks)
  • Primary teachers will share stories of women from the scriptures for our young girls and boys to look up to.
  • more depictions of biblical characters as not just white Europeans
  • That I never hear another lds (wo)man say "I don't respect women who don't respect themselves by covering up" and instead respect all humans regardless of what they wear because they are children of God.
  • That lds youth will learn principles of +body image in modesty lessons  
  • never give up hope, be grateful and long suffering 
  • We begin celebrating all the ways fathers nurture children
  • a new policy that allows women to hold their babies for their blessing   
  • No more Mormon LGBTQ suicides. No more homeless Mormon LGBTQ youth. 
  • the change the name of priesthood session during to "Men's Session"
  • That mothers of children younger than 18 can be temple workers just like fathers can.  
  • My daughter's activity day leaders will skip modesty shaming and have a career exploration day
  • be grateful for baby steps and bear my Christ-based testimony more often
  • a woman of color praying in a general session of  
  • that wearing isn't seen as a protest or statement, but just a valid choice for Sunday best
  • when possible, replace "Heavenly Father" with "heavenly parents"
  • the curriculum department produces a "Teachings of Eliza R. Snow" for 2016
  • more 8-11 yo girls get to participate in pinewood derbies than ever before 
  • when teaching the law of chastity, we cover consent - what it is and isn't, and help a lot of people avoid a visit to the bishop's office this year
Change has got to start somewhere, right? Do you have any Mormon Feminist Wishes for 2015? Remember to be grateful for every baby step change, and remember that the core of what we want is to improve Zion with a heart full of love!

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