It’s been a week. Agree that this IG pushback isn’t shining a light on something the leadership doesn’t know, it shines our light right back on us. And shows us the immense power we already have and that I’m done asking for.
This is incredible, Celeste. It’s such a shame that when every LDS woman has her feminine awakening that she feels like she’s the first one. Our history has been hidden from us, but the internet and writers like you are changing the narrative. I loved the last section especially. So much hope for the women who are waking up.
I had messaged with a friend this week wondering why this bothers me so much? Like why do I care? I left. But I couldn’t help clicking in on the situation and sharing with my husband who doesn’t use social media. Those wounds! The mother god wound. The lesser than wound. All the years I spent striving and pursuing so I could shine within that box. The consequences I’m left with from the choices I made (did I have real choice???).
Super glad I’m no longer disillusioned that things will change and I instead chose to change my path, my life and my beliefs.
Also as a petty comment, I remember being in the YW presidency and the YM absorbed our budget without our consent. I was furious. Surprise, it wasn’t restored. I also remember the YM’s president having some inflamed words when us ladies wouldn’t just get in line and do what he wanted.
Oof, that timeline of women led protests and movement SINCE Nelson became a GA is heartbreaking. I look back at the YEARS I spent pandering to men at church, working so hard to be seen as good, to be seen as having as much value as the boys and men at church —as you said, bend myself to fit boxes not made for me—and I feel so sad for younger Kelli and all the women still in that situation. So hear! hear! to those women talking and fighting for equality because I also hope that leads them to their own liberation.
I think at General Conference (just like what happened with the honor code at BYU), women will be told ‘they must have misunderstood the talk - women don’t ‘actually’ have priesthood power or authority… they only have access to it’. And like Celeste, I don’t think the church will change but those 15,000+ women will now realize they are not alone! (I hope I’m wrong but 60+ years tells me otherwise)
Wow! This timeline is eye-opening and I am so grateful for the efforts of women throughout the decades. Thank you for your work today, and for redefining what success is in this life. I just said goodbye to my husband and sons who just left for church, and am looking forward to a beautiful Sabbath morning with my daughter with whatever we decide to do to nourish our spirits today.
It's always heartbreaking to me as a 50-yr old lifetime LDS woman when other women start to realize that feminist efforts have been going on for my entire life, since my birth in 1974, and then some. I and my podcast partner are committed to helping LDS women, in, out, or in between, to trust their voice and follow their instincts. I believe LDS women deserve to be met wherever they're at in their spiritual journey and I just love that your voice is doing the same. So, so grateful for your work.
I love your wordplay of calling Pres Kimball “uniformed”, because it’s true that when the brethren speak they are very “uniformed”. But we used to think that they also “uninformed”. They can no longer use the excuse of “we didn’t know…” and thank you for making that very clear. Great read!
Wow, Celeste, what an incredible post! It's heartbreaking to see all those efforts by amazing women in your timeline get squashed by the patriarchy. I can't even begin to image how soul-crushing it must be to be a woman in the church. Sadly, the male leadership in the church is very aware of all this, but make a choice to do nothing. Wouldn't want to lose their position of power! Perhaps if the rest of the men in the church decided to get off their asses and support and empower women it would force the leadership to make changes (like every autocratic regime, there are more of us than there are of them). What would happen if every bishop decided to let a new mother hold her child during the baby's blessing? Excommunication? That's a risk worth taking to me!
What I hope doesn't happen, but probably will, is that the comments on the IG post get turned over to the Strengthening Church Members Committee, which is just the church Stassi, and leads to some being investigated, and even leading to potential excommunication. I really hope it doesn't, but history has taught us otherwise.
I love your STEPS TO SUCCESS list. I was watching the movie Women Talking last night, which is an incredibly powerful movie. One of the solutions they discuss is asking the men to leave. Maybe that's what needs to happen in the church. Wouldn't it be a sight to see if during the upcoming general conference, all the women raise their hands in opposition to the sustaining of the church leadership, especially the top 15, and then just walk out? I'd gladly walk out with them.
Oof. I already knew this timeline, but reading it rapid-fire is powerful. Thank you for compiling, and holding that mirror. There’s a better way. Let’s go. 🖤🖤
This is exactly how I’ve been feeling! This is a beautiful stepping stone to greater things for all these women. Renlund’s address prohibiting talk of Heavenly Mother was my much needed stepping stone that gave me courage yo stop listening to those men and start listing to myself. I left 2 years ago and during the most tumultuous time of my life (I had twins 😅) I’ve never felt more sure of myself.
Love your writing! Your steps for success made me cry. Well done!
Only women can do what is necessary to free themselves. Each indivudual within their closest circles, their families and loved ones first. Then, working together with other women and like-minded men. What these protests accomplished was wonderful. They sent a clear message to the powers-that-be in the Church, that women will no longer tolerate censure. Good for them!
Thanks for providing such important context to the situation for Mormon feminism. I agree with what you're saying. I do believe there is traction being made in large part due to the Internet. Maybe meaningful change will never happen in the institution, but Mormon-adjacent women have more information available to them, and the opportunity to connect with each other like never before.
It’s been a week. Agree that this IG pushback isn’t shining a light on something the leadership doesn’t know, it shines our light right back on us. And shows us the immense power we already have and that I’m done asking for.
This is incredible, Celeste. It’s such a shame that when every LDS woman has her feminine awakening that she feels like she’s the first one. Our history has been hidden from us, but the internet and writers like you are changing the narrative. I loved the last section especially. So much hope for the women who are waking up.
Well written Celeste!
I had messaged with a friend this week wondering why this bothers me so much? Like why do I care? I left. But I couldn’t help clicking in on the situation and sharing with my husband who doesn’t use social media. Those wounds! The mother god wound. The lesser than wound. All the years I spent striving and pursuing so I could shine within that box. The consequences I’m left with from the choices I made (did I have real choice???).
Super glad I’m no longer disillusioned that things will change and I instead chose to change my path, my life and my beliefs.
Also as a petty comment, I remember being in the YW presidency and the YM absorbed our budget without our consent. I was furious. Surprise, it wasn’t restored. I also remember the YM’s president having some inflamed words when us ladies wouldn’t just get in line and do what he wanted.
Oof, that timeline of women led protests and movement SINCE Nelson became a GA is heartbreaking. I look back at the YEARS I spent pandering to men at church, working so hard to be seen as good, to be seen as having as much value as the boys and men at church —as you said, bend myself to fit boxes not made for me—and I feel so sad for younger Kelli and all the women still in that situation. So hear! hear! to those women talking and fighting for equality because I also hope that leads them to their own liberation.
I think at General Conference (just like what happened with the honor code at BYU), women will be told ‘they must have misunderstood the talk - women don’t ‘actually’ have priesthood power or authority… they only have access to it’. And like Celeste, I don’t think the church will change but those 15,000+ women will now realize they are not alone! (I hope I’m wrong but 60+ years tells me otherwise)
Wow! This timeline is eye-opening and I am so grateful for the efforts of women throughout the decades. Thank you for your work today, and for redefining what success is in this life. I just said goodbye to my husband and sons who just left for church, and am looking forward to a beautiful Sabbath morning with my daughter with whatever we decide to do to nourish our spirits today.
It's always heartbreaking to me as a 50-yr old lifetime LDS woman when other women start to realize that feminist efforts have been going on for my entire life, since my birth in 1974, and then some. I and my podcast partner are committed to helping LDS women, in, out, or in between, to trust their voice and follow their instincts. I believe LDS women deserve to be met wherever they're at in their spiritual journey and I just love that your voice is doing the same. So, so grateful for your work.
I love your wordplay of calling Pres Kimball “uniformed”, because it’s true that when the brethren speak they are very “uniformed”. But we used to think that they also “uninformed”. They can no longer use the excuse of “we didn’t know…” and thank you for making that very clear. Great read!
You just put into words exactly what I was looking for this week. So beautiful. 💗
Wow, Celeste, what an incredible post! It's heartbreaking to see all those efforts by amazing women in your timeline get squashed by the patriarchy. I can't even begin to image how soul-crushing it must be to be a woman in the church. Sadly, the male leadership in the church is very aware of all this, but make a choice to do nothing. Wouldn't want to lose their position of power! Perhaps if the rest of the men in the church decided to get off their asses and support and empower women it would force the leadership to make changes (like every autocratic regime, there are more of us than there are of them). What would happen if every bishop decided to let a new mother hold her child during the baby's blessing? Excommunication? That's a risk worth taking to me!
What I hope doesn't happen, but probably will, is that the comments on the IG post get turned over to the Strengthening Church Members Committee, which is just the church Stassi, and leads to some being investigated, and even leading to potential excommunication. I really hope it doesn't, but history has taught us otherwise.
I love your STEPS TO SUCCESS list. I was watching the movie Women Talking last night, which is an incredibly powerful movie. One of the solutions they discuss is asking the men to leave. Maybe that's what needs to happen in the church. Wouldn't it be a sight to see if during the upcoming general conference, all the women raise their hands in opposition to the sustaining of the church leadership, especially the top 15, and then just walk out? I'd gladly walk out with them.
Oof. I already knew this timeline, but reading it rapid-fire is powerful. Thank you for compiling, and holding that mirror. There’s a better way. Let’s go. 🖤🖤
This is exactly how I’ve been feeling! This is a beautiful stepping stone to greater things for all these women. Renlund’s address prohibiting talk of Heavenly Mother was my much needed stepping stone that gave me courage yo stop listening to those men and start listing to myself. I left 2 years ago and during the most tumultuous time of my life (I had twins 😅) I’ve never felt more sure of myself.
Love your writing! Your steps for success made me cry. Well done!
What is the greatest poem ever written and why is it Celeste’s poem STEPS TO SUCCESS?
Celeste you NAILED it. All of my same thoughts and feelings. Well done.
Only women can do what is necessary to free themselves. Each indivudual within their closest circles, their families and loved ones first. Then, working together with other women and like-minded men. What these protests accomplished was wonderful. They sent a clear message to the powers-that-be in the Church, that women will no longer tolerate censure. Good for them!
Thanks for providing such important context to the situation for Mormon feminism. I agree with what you're saying. I do believe there is traction being made in large part due to the Internet. Maybe meaningful change will never happen in the institution, but Mormon-adjacent women have more information available to them, and the opportunity to connect with each other like never before.