Can feminist and Mormon co-exist?

[BusyMom]

Do you think that the two can co-exist? Can an LDS Woman be a feminist?

[Loudmouth_Mormon]

A few weeks ago, a new family to the ward came to church, and the mom stood up and told us all she was a femist, and we could take her or leave her. I've seen her every week since then, so I assume we decided to take her.

There are a lot of ways to define "feminist". Depending on what that definition is, LDS belief is either very compatible, not compatible at all, or something in between.

LM

[Aphrodite]

A feminist in the church is different to any other feminist. A church feminist is probably any woman that wants to have a job outside the home for her own fulfilment. Any other feminists might shun relationships, campaign for womens rights etc. I think it is absolutely possible. I know several strong, career women who are members and they are strong members too. Perhaps I could be considered a feminist as I am not happy to sit at home doing crochet or crafts popping out babies for the rest of my life. I want kids, eventually but I also want a job. The thought of staying home all day makes me feel depressed. I could not do it. If that makes me a feminist then I suppose I am one. Oddly enough, from the worlds point of view I probably look like a traditionalist wife. Weird.

[Truegrits]

Loudmouth_Mormon:

There are a lot of ways to define "feminist".

I agree. I am not an extremist; but neither do I consider myself a "traditional" woman, nor a "traditional" Mormon. I think most of us are varying degrees of many things. I would hate for everyone to be cookie cutter formed.
(I know what I mean, even if I am not stating it well...)

[Iggy]

Originally Posted by Truegrits

Loudmouth_Mormon:


I agree. I am not an extremist; but neither do I consider myself a "traditional" woman, nor a "traditional" Mormon. I think most of us are varying degrees of many things. I would hate for everyone to be cookie cutter formed.
(I know what I mean, even if I am not stating it well...)

I understood you perfectly- and I agree with you. I am not a cookie cutter person either.

I enjoyed DIY type of jobs around the house. At first it started out because 1st husband refused to do the necessary repairs and there was zero money to hire it done. So I taught myself how to remove a toilet and put in a new one, after I wrestled with trying to repair/replace the guts in the tank.

Then I graduated to removing the key-lock doorknobs and putting on new ones. The key broke off in the lock and I could not get it out. Even when I removed the knob it was jammed in there forever.

I discovered that I had a knack for household repairs, fix ups and such. Every year for vacation I went to my sister's home and did her household repairs, & painting the interior of her home.

Some of the sisters in the church thought this was mainly for the Men to do and not for a woman to do. Well, when the Man in the home won't do it or can't do it and there is no money to hire it done- and you are sick and tired of pouring a bucket of water down the toilet each time to flush it, and keeping a bucket under the drain of the kitchen sink to catch the small stream of water, and of having to tape your plugs to keep them from falling out of the sockets - then you either learn to do it yourself or you go nuts.

I learned how to do it myself. I also went to work at a Hardware store. I was in seventh heaven.

Oh, I know how to sew, knit, darn (I am a really poor darner too), cook (each year I get better and better at cooking), make bread from scratch, make cakes & cookies from scratch, etc.

My older sister calls me a Renaissance Woman- because I know how to do quite a variety of things from painting the interior of a house, to putting in new outlets and switches throughout the entire house, to making homemade bread, or dehydrating vegetables for my food storage.

I am rather limited now that my shoulder and hip joints are as bad as they are. I can no longer load and unload a pickup truck bed with 24-50 pound bags of soil amendments and then work said amendments into the garden.

I refuse to be button-holed into the "traditional female" role.

Before I married Husband #2- I asked him if he was intimidated by the fact that I had my own power tools and knew how to use them? He said No, that wouldn't intimidate him. I then asked him if he would be intimidated by the fact that I had my own kitchen work center and knew how to use it? He said, "I'll rent a larger U-haul- I sure don't want you leaving any of your "tools" behind!"

By The Way, BusyMom, what definition of feminist are you referring to?
(not being confrontational here, I am just wondering)

[Truegrits]

Iggy:

I refuse to be button-holed into the "traditional female" role.

Exactly. We are capable of so much more!
And for those that are happy in tradition...great!


Iggy:

Before I married Husband #2- I asked him if he was intimidated by the fact that I had my own power tools and knew how to use them? He said No, that wouldn't intimidate him. I then asked him if he would be intimidated by the fact that I had my own kitchen work center and knew how to use it? He said, "I'll rent a larger U-haul- I sure don't want you leaving any of your "tools" behind!"

Well, he's no dummy!

[skalenfehl]

I have no objection to feminists. They deserve their measure of joy.


Matt. 6: 21
21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

[BusyMom]

I guess I ask because I have heard it said that they can not co-exist but I disagree with this. I believe that when a society meets the needs of its women then the society functions better. I can not understand for the life of me why a man makes more money for the same job, or why the care of animals is paid better than care of children. I believe that political action is significant for making things better for women and I think that women should have the right to define their roles. I think that there are so many great opportunities and the ability to coordinate and participate in a profession while having a family is better for many women (this is often dependent, however, on the amount of education a woman has obtained). I think that support is about meeting the needs of the one being served, not some pre-assigned, pre-defined model.

I am asking because I feel very drawn to the feminist model in the counseling profession and helping women to find their strength and to understand their problems from a holistic perspective and not just as an interpersonal failing or weakness. I just watned to see how others felt.

[Misshalfway]

I suppose it depends on your definition of feminist.

I think that God is very much interested in the interests of women. I think that God champions the causes of women and am convinced that the tenants of the gospel absolutely promote the equity of women. I think that we live on the earth though. That means living and dealing with cultural forces that sometimes have truncated and suppressed the rights of women. Is it wrong to want equitable rights and treatment for women thru-out this world and fight for justice and restitution? No. I don't see anywhere in the gospel where such participation is a problem. I think it is the over-zealous or out of balance positions that feminists sometimes take that are in conflict with the kingdom of God. And in those cases, I would say that yes, they wouldn't be able to live together for long.

[skalenfehl]

Originally Posted by BusyMom

I can not understand for the life of me why a man makes more money for the same job, or why the care of animals is paid better than care of children.

"He who has the gold makes the rules."

A vast majority of politicians, corporate and business owners and employers are men. They are the greedy, manipulative power hungry figures of the world. Women generally aren't as shrewd, treacherous and greedy or on the lighter side as entrepreneurial and risk taking as men are. This is likely why men tend to be the ones who build businesses and make more money, etc.