2008 Woodie Awards
LDS Institute Director answers questions about the role of women in the church
Diantha Leavitt
Issue date: 9/26/07 Section: Opinion
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In a recent edition of Bust magazine Priya Jain explores the topic of feminism and Mormonism in her article "More than a Mormon." Jain claims that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints suppresses women and that LDS women only have internet blogs to discuss their situation.
To address this argument, the Janet C. Anderson Gender Resource Center brought in LDS Institute Director Val Clarke. Clarke started his presentation quoting Alfred Adler who taught the doctrine of private logic, saying that everyone's concerns makes sense in their own private logic. Clarke did not minimize the concerns of the LDS women interviewed in the article, but rather said that their concerns were valid because they mattered to them.
Instead of attacking the issues brought up by Jain view by view, Clarke focused on the long term, larger picture. He said that the article focuses too much on the individual and not enough on the family.
"The strengthening of families and the creating of appropriate bonds within family and the family fulfilling its primary responsibility is the answer to every problem we have," Clarke said.
Jain said that Lisa Butterworth, an LDS woman interviewed in the article, "hates that Mormon women are taught to find fulfillment in child rearing and that they have no voice in the Church."
"Does my church make Lisa stay at home and be a mother," Clarke said, "no." Clarke has held many leadership positions in the church including bishop, stake president and mission president. He has counseled with many women in the church because of this. Clarke said that for every woman who has come to him and said that she would like to leave her children and go to work, he's had 10 or 20 say they'd like to leave work and come home to their children.
Clarke said that there was no language of responsibility in the article toward children. Not once did it ask what was best for the children. He said the article had the attitude of "I am the most important thing in the world."
To address this argument, the Janet C. Anderson Gender Resource Center brought in LDS Institute Director Val Clarke. Clarke started his presentation quoting Alfred Adler who taught the doctrine of private logic, saying that everyone's concerns makes sense in their own private logic. Clarke did not minimize the concerns of the LDS women interviewed in the article, but rather said that their concerns were valid because they mattered to them.
Instead of attacking the issues brought up by Jain view by view, Clarke focused on the long term, larger picture. He said that the article focuses too much on the individual and not enough on the family.
"The strengthening of families and the creating of appropriate bonds within family and the family fulfilling its primary responsibility is the answer to every problem we have," Clarke said.
Jain said that Lisa Butterworth, an LDS woman interviewed in the article, "hates that Mormon women are taught to find fulfillment in child rearing and that they have no voice in the Church."
"Does my church make Lisa stay at home and be a mother," Clarke said, "no." Clarke has held many leadership positions in the church including bishop, stake president and mission president. He has counseled with many women in the church because of this. Clarke said that for every woman who has come to him and said that she would like to leave her children and go to work, he's had 10 or 20 say they'd like to leave work and come home to their children.
Clarke said that there was no language of responsibility in the article toward children. Not once did it ask what was best for the children. He said the article had the attitude of "I am the most important thing in the world."
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 19
HiveRadical
posted 9/26/07 @ 12:03 AM MST
The article brings up many salient points in these issues. It's important that all, women and men, think independently. A natural outgrowth of that is questioning. (Continued…)
Eric
posted 9/26/07 @ 10:33 AM MST
I really detest those who teach adults that the most joy and happiness is found in the aggrandizing and actualization of the self, that success is defined as the most money earned and spent, the highest possible social positions attained, the most power leadership slots garnered, with the most publicly visible, exhilarating and laudable pursuits. (Continued…)
Mark
posted 9/26/07 @ 12:10 PM MST
As a life-long member of the LDS Church with maternal and paternal LDS ancestors several generations deep, from my experience, I'm surrounded by independent-thinking and strong LDS women. (Continued…)
Paula
posted 9/26/07 @ 2:13 PM MST
Ironic that they had to bring in a man to tell us that women are not downtrodden in mormon society. I am a mormon, and know both of the women quoted there, and they're not being "sensationalist" or anti-church. (Continued…)
Kay
posted 9/26/07 @ 3:30 PM MST
Mormon men often spend so much leading the church they neglect "fixing the family." Let's share family responsibility and church responsibility.
Janet Garrard-Willis
posted 9/26/07 @ 3:57 PM MST
"Jain claims that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints suppresses women and that LDS women only have internet blogs to discuss their situation. (Continued…)
Caroline
posted 9/27/07 @ 9:35 AM MST
"He said that a woman's leadership in the family is more superior than a man's." What could Clark mean there? Over and over again we LDS are told that men preside in the family, men are the heads of the households, women are to hearken unto their husbands in righteousness, etc. (Continued…)
fMhLisa
posted 9/27/07 @ 3:24 PM MST
I always find it interesting when (we) Mormons react to media coverage with such negativity and bias. It is remarkable that BUST (a third wave feminist magazine, of all things) would choose to write an article about Mormon women, and that they choose to do so while casting both the Church and the women in it, in a by-in-large positive light, is remarkable. (Continued…)
Duwayne Anderson
posted 9/27/07 @ 4:18 PM MST
Clark asks and answers (with a "no") the rhetorical question: "Does my church make Lisa stay at home and be a mother?"
But that's really a strawman. (Continued…)
Lola La Loca
posted 10/10/07 @ 6:28 PM MST
It's 2007 and people still believe in religious rubbish. When will people grow up? Resting all your believes in a book of fiction written thousands of years ago is stupid. (Continued…)
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