Latter Day Saints Culture

Gabriella S. Davida 12 April 2013

Cultural Anthropology Dr. Braun

Culture of the Church of Latter-Day Saints:

Women Finding Autonomy Within a Patriarchal Society

Within the female membership of The Church of Latter Day Saints (“LDS”),

there is no role or category of women that are “successful” career woman within the context of a

Modern day democratic society. Is the cause for this lack of representation in the ranks of

successful business and career women, grounded solely in the beliefs and teachings of the LDS

Church or are there other factors and influences at work beyond the LDS Church? Are those

other factors environmental, cultural economic or due
will be found.

In order to examine the questions raised above, one must establish not only the culture

within LDS but also the categories or types of women which have evolved over the years.

Interestingly enough, these types of women, are not only categorized by those who have

Studied them, but also the women themselves. Social Scientist, like all scientist, are always

looking to list, type and categorized the subjects they study. One such social scientist, Lori

Beaman, has based on her studies of over 28 Mormon women, has identified, three (3) types

of women in the Mormon Church who like Beaman have also identified and classified

themselves as being (i) Molly Mormons.;(ii) Mormon Feminists and (iii) Mormon Moderates.

Their views are shaped by the teachings of the Mormon Church and their role models for their

respective positions are primarily other woman rather than the men within the context of the

Hierarchy of the Church. Implicit within these categories is the premise established by Elizabeth

Ozorak, that notwithstanding that these women have accepted the inequalities of the Church
The “working” woman is most notably found in this category. Some feminists were once traditional women, who now in their 60s look back and question the present day role of women, given the modern society in which they live. In terms of the highest rank within the LDS, that of priests and bishops, the Molly Mormons celebrate the strength of their male priests and “valorize their own roles as mother” (Beaman 80). The Mormon feminist, who makes up the smallest identified segment, sees priesthood as a right to be extended to males and females. The Moderates, use interpretation of their own moderate rule to find equality in their relationships with husbands and even the greater rights they have to stay home and be mothers and have their husbands “treat them well and cater them. “All though some attempts have been made to equate the role of mother, which is based in nature and associated with the concept of the “Heavenly Mother”, with the priesthood, which is derived from the “order of law” (Beaman 69) none even those put forth convincingly by the Feminist, has raised the level of esteem of women in the male dominated hierarchy. Instead the moderates convince themselves and those who question them, that they share all decision making with their husbands and are therefore equal partners in their life. They simply do not question, they