I am Adele. I was born and raised in Los Angeles, in the LDS faith and continue to be an active member. I am also a scientist/mathematician and am so proud of being LDS.
All of the arguments around why women do not have the priesthood have been superficial. It all comes down to whether or not God made men superior to women. Are we equally valued and loved? More importantly to the priesthood, are we equally capable of being leaders and using God’s power to serve others?
Women have motherhood and men have fatherhood. The argument that women don’t need the priesthood because we already have so much responsibility in motherhood is flawed in many ways. Are men not as equally responsible for raising their children? What if we don’t have children and are not involved in raising any other children? Can we have the priesthood then since we have freed up that responsibility?
What about the argument that the priesthood is really a tool for service so by men having it they must serve the rest? As women, are we not equally capable of serving? Are women really better than men in that men must show us the love of service, only to have it unreciprocated due to the laws of our church not allowing for it?
To me, the only true argument against women having the priesthood is that God created men to be better leaders than women. I don’t believe this for one minute, but although unspoken, this very argument is at our core beliefs. These beliefs come from our culture and it has been so well ingrained that most women and men do not even question it. Maybe if stated outright, most people will agree that men and women are equal. But, most people will then continue to allow for men to dominate the home, business, education, and religion.
We need to recognize the cultural bias that has been inseparable from our church since inception. In the priesthood ordination, we have overcome the cultural bias against dark skin. Let’s overcome the cultural bias against women and move closer to showing the true love and worth for all that God has created. God loves us all dearly. Can we love ourselves? All of ourselves?
I believe women should be ordained.