Women's suffrage and Mormonism

[SoonerCoug]

I've been arguing with some local yocals in an anti-Mormon thread on a politics board. The feminists seem to think that Mormonism is the worst thing since slavery. I pointed out the great irony that these feminists are badgering Mormonism, despite the fact that Mormons were among the first to give women the right to vote in America (in 1870) after which the US Government took that right away from Mormon women.

Giving Mormon women the right to vote in 1870 may have been a bit of a ploy by the LDS Church to show the world that Mormon women would not vote to end polygamy.

From wikipedia:
"...some early victories were won in the territories of Wyoming (1869) and Utah (1870), although Utah women were disenfranchised by the U.S. Congress in 1887. The push to grant Utah women's suffrage was at least partially fueled by outsiders' belief that, given the right to vote, Utah women would dispose of polygamy. It was only after Utah women exercised their suffrage rights in favor of polygamy that the U.S. Congress disenfranchised Utah women.[7] Other territories and states granted women the right to vote in the late 19th and early 20th century, but national women's suffrage did not come until the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified in 1920. "

On the other hand, I think the Church was much more progressive, free, open (and unusual) in the 19th century. We were shut down in the 1800s for being too liberal. As a reaction to pressure, we ultimately became too conservative.

[SeattleUte]

Originally Posted by SoonerCoug

I've been arguing with some local yocals in an anti-Mormon thread on a politics board. The feminists seem to think that Mormonism is the worst thing since slavery. I pointed out the great irony that these feminists are badgering Mormonism, despite the fact that Mormons were among the first to give women the right to vote in America (in 1870) after which the US Government took that right away from Mormon women.

Giving Mormon women the right to vote in 1870 may have been a bit of a ploy by the LDS Church to show the world that Mormon women would not vote to end polygamy.

From wikipedia:
"...some early victories were won in the territories of Wyoming (1869) and Utah (1870), although Utah women were disenfranchised by the U.S. Congress in 1887. The push to grant Utah women's suffrage was at least partially fueled by outsiders' belief that, given the right to vote, Utah women would dispose of polygamy. It was only after Utah women exercised their suffrage rights in favor of polygamy that the U.S. Congress disenfranchised Utah women.[7] Other territories and states granted women the right to vote in the late 19th and early 20th century, but national women's suffrage did not come until the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified in 1920. "

On the other hand, I think the Church was much more progressive, free, open (and unusual) in the 19th century. We were shut down in the 1800s for being too liberal. As a reaction to pressure, we ultimately became too conservative.

For women polygamy is the analog of slavery to blacks.

[SoonerCoug]

Originally Posted by SeattleUte

For women polygamy is the analog of slavery to blacks.

Would slaves have voted for slavery? It's an interesting question. Maybe it's different if you believe in it as part of your faith.

Except the Community of Christ, I wonder if Mormonism is the most feminist form of Christianity on Earth (considering heavenly mother and priestesses in the temple).

[woot]

Originally Posted by SoonerCoug

Would slaves have voted for slavery? It's an interesting question. Maybe it's different if you believe in it as part of your faith.

Except the Community of Christ, I wonder if Mormonism is the most feminist form of Christianity on Earth (considering heavenly mother and priestesses in the temple).

While Mormons do have several pro-feminist beliefs, they seem to mostly deal with posthumous things. If we, for just a brief moment, consider religions to be earthly organizations, Mormons aren't any better than any other religion, and their denial of positions of authority to women seems to put them about average (I don't know, as I'm not versed on the state of women in many religions).

[SeattleUte]

Originally Posted by SoonerCoug

Would slaves have voted for slavery? It's an interesting question. Maybe it's different if you believe in it as part of your faith.

Except the Community of Christ, I wonder if Mormonism is the most feminist form of Christianity on Earth (considering heavenly mother and priestesses in the temple).

No. It's not. When I went to law school women comprised about 50% of most law schools. BYU was below 20%. There are many more Catholic and Episcopal and unitarian and mainline Protestant women who are in powerful careers. Of course, there are many more women in those religions who have now for generations broken free of the psychological hammerlock of their respective religions.

[SoonerCoug]

Originally Posted by SeattleUte

No. It's not. When I went to law school women comprised about 50% of most law schools. BYU was below 20%. There are many more Catholic and Episcopal and unitarian and mainline Protestant women who are in powerful careers. Of course, there are many more women in those religions who have now for generations broken free of the psychological hammerlock of their respective religions.

I still think Mormonism is a mixed bag of empowering women in some ways while also holding them back in others.

[SeattleUte]

This speaks volumes.

http://newsnet.byu.edu/story.cfm/31228

[YOhio]

Originally Posted by SeattleUte

This speaks volumes.

http://newsnet.byu.edu/story.cfm/31228

Volume II:

http://www.law2.byu.edu/admissions/p...vestudents.php

2007-2008 - 34% Women (click on Law School Profile)

[SeattleUte]

Originally Posted by YOhio

Volume II:

http://www.law2.byu.edu/admissions/p...vestudents.php

2007-2008 - 34% Women (click on Law School Profile)

That's the same as it was in 2001, and it's terrible. The national average is around 50%.

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by SeattleUte

That's the same as it was in 2001, and it's terrible. The national average is around 50%.

You think women in law school is a good thing? To me, it's a form of idiocy, I wouldn't wish law school upon man, woman or child. Women in the LDS Church are smarter than men, they go to med school or they become metalurgical expert locators.