I’m a wife, mother of two wonderful children, occasional writer, crossword puzzler, consumer of chocolate, Colbert Report and Daily Show junky, Balkan dancer, and recent empty nester.
About Me:
I love a good discussion, particularly at the dinner table, and well-crafted books and films. I’ve worked as the managing editor of an academic journal, a university instructor, and the public relations coordinator for a state humanities council. I’ve also happily given countless hours of volunteer service to both my community and my church as PTA and public school booster club president, Girl Scout leader, library volunteer, Gospel Doctrine teacher, Compassionate Service Coordinator, Visiting Teacher, MIA (Young Women’s) president, and a contributor to an earlier edition of the LDS scriptures.
Why I think Mormon women should have the priesthood:
One of Mormonism’s most intellectually and spiritually compelling teachings is the belief that God wants to share power and spiritual authority with us—that God’s desire is our empowerment. The exclusion of women from priesthood ordination is incompatible with this foundational belief.
In his famous letter from Birmingham Jail, Martin Luther King wrote, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” We more readily recognize and decry inequity when it’s blatantly abusive. But even discrimination that is subtle can negatively affect us in profound ways. To deny women access to decision-making authority in any community–religious or otherwise–opens up a space for the more extreme forms of discrimination and abuse that millions of women in the world endure. Mormonism teaches that our essential selves are uncreated. Thus, we are free agents responsible for our choice either to perpetuate this inequity by inaction or to embrace a moral activism that requires us to work for justice and equality.
Many of my ancestors were Mormon pioneers who risked everything to follow their faith and conscience. I honor them by following mine. I’m a Mormon, and I believe women should be ordained.