Listen to Natasha’s podcast interview here:
My name is Natasha. I am a member of the Church, a woman, a wife of 18 years, a mother of four and a supporter of the Ordain Women movement. I am a Marriage & Family Therapist and have spent the last 15 years working mainly within the LDS population. In my work, in my callings, and in my friendships with fellow brothers and sisters, I have seen the way the church and the gospel bless our lives. I have also seen how unfortunate traditions and a patriarchal structure can be harmful and have unnecessary and long-lasting effects. I stand in solidarity with the sisters who helped found our religion – often with their sweat and blood – who celebrated the power of priesthood by their attendance and involvement in temple worship and developed their own autonomous women’s organization. Priestesses alongside of priests is what they signed up for. I also stand with my daughter and many of her generation who clearly see disparity and look to us mothers with questioning eyes as we take them to our place of worship.
I want to stand as testimony to my belief in the priesthood – the priesthood being the power to act in the name of or in behalf of God. I believe this power, engendering love and service, should know no gender difference. I want to stand in solidarity with the many priestesses and female disciples spoken of in scripture. I want to stand against the fact that as a current woman in my church, I will always have a man presiding over me in leadership, ministering and ecclesiastical positions and roles. I want to stand as witness to my belief in a Heavenly Mother. A belief that runs deep in my Mormonism – which allows me the privilege of understanding deity not only on male terms.