Posted by on Jan 8, 2014 in , | 0 comments

Hi, I’m Megan.

I am a lifelong active member of the church and a quiet, thoughtful person. I try my hardest to follow the example of our Savior Jesus Christ, and He has led me down some surprising paths, not least of which are feminism and gay rights advocacy. I always try to be considerate of the feelings of others, especially those are hurting or who are institutionally disadvantaged.

As a single woman, I am incredibly sensitive to people who do not fit the church’s cookie cutter mold of families made up of a member husband, member wife, and children. Which is not to say that I do not agree with the church’s doctrine on families. To the contrary, from a very young age I’ve always loved the doctrine of eternal families in the church. I love my family, and loved the idea of being with them forever. However, I think that our definition of the ideal family is much too narrow and for those who do not quite fit the mold, it can be a very lonely place. Those who, like me, are single and never married, or those who are divorced, remarried, or single parents, those who are part-member families. And of course there are those who are gay, lesbian, transgender or who otherwise differ from the norm. I myself am asexual and it is unlikely that I will ever get married.

I think part of what makes the definition of families so narrow and what makes us push so hard for the “ideal” to the exclusion of everyone else is our male-only Priesthood. The Priesthood is the power to act in God’s name, and is a truly amazing gift that should be available to all who desire it. And as long as only men are ordained to the Priesthood, everyone who does not fit our cookie cutter mold will continue to be institutionally othered, no matter how kind and caring we as members are to them.

My father has always been a worthy Priesthood holder, and growing up I was truly blessed to have the Priesthood in my home through him, and later through my younger brother. However, when I think of all the amazing things that could have happened if my parents held the Priesthood jointly, I am in awe of all the good they could have done, of that untapped potential in my mother or in them as a fully equal team. After going through the temple last year to receive my own endowments, I am convinced that this is what it will be like in the next life. However, isn’t this life the time for us to improve? To learn, to grow, and to cast off past mistakes and prejudices? I yearn for the day that we as a church will be ready to ordain women as well as men. Many of us already are.

I believe women should be ordained.