It’s that time of year again! As General Conference approaches after months of fear, loss, and social distancing, Ordain Women aspires both to lend hope and encouragement to our religious community and keep the movement for gender equality alive and well. To that end, we’re bringing back last April’s “Women Are Watching — Conference Bingo” to remind church leaders that women care deeply about gender equity and are watching for substantive signs that they do too.
To play OW Conference Bingo, download the Women are Watching — Conference Bingo Card here. As you watch each session of General Conference, mark the appropriate space when, for example, a woman offers a prayer or a woman of color speaks or a scripture is amended to be gender inclusive. As is usual in Bingo, the middle square is free and, like priesthood ordination and the generosity of God, should be available to all.
We’re also reprising our running conference photo commentary. (See example below and here.) This October, however, we’re inviting submissions from our supporters and will award OW swag—an OW necklace or lapel pin—to those we publish on our website.
Unless church leaders announce a change in their male-only priesthood policy, the first conversation bubble in each photo submission, if you use the photo in the example, might feature the comment, “Clearly, they won’t be ordaining women this year,” with two or three other conversation bubbles reflecting spoken—and unspoken—messages gleaned from conference proceedings. Or you might choose to use different photos or formats. Post submissions in the comments on the OW Facebook page once general conference begins. Though playful and/or pointed, please make sure your submissions are tasteful and accurately reflect conference content.
