When the concept of “toxic masculinity” first started gaining popularity, I saw various articles and social media posts saying essentially “Oh yeah? Well there’s toxic femininity too!!” As if that were a rebuttal or response to the theory of toxic masculinity. I think those folks completely missed the point. The…
Category: Motherhood
The Brethren Want Us to Shut Up About Heavenly Mother Already, Again
Discussions are proliferating among liberal Mormons on social media about recent efforts by the Brethren to let the Saints know that they better stop talking about Heavenly Mother, ASAP. Here’s a good early summation of what’s going on, from Twitter. In 1985, when I was a missionary, a relative sent…
Deciphering Ballard
M. Russell Ballard begins a talk (given at BYU August 20, 2013) reprinted in the September 2014 Ensign and titled ‘Men and Women in Priesthood Power” with this In what I say, please keep in mind and think straight about the basic doctrines of Christ…. Let me suggest five key…
Sunday in Outer Blogness: Recovering from Mother’s Day edition!
I’m 41 and unmarried, childless, and I find it pretty difficult to be in a family ward sometimes. A confession… I never really had an overwhelming urge to have kids (can I be an LDS woman and say that?). So the awkwardness comes more from pitying glances and talks about…
Sunday in Outer Blogness: Hi, Mom edition!
In the US (and here in Switzerland) today is Mother’s Day!! Time for musings on parenthood! So, if you and/or your mom are living in countries that celebrate Mother’s Day today, don’t forget to write or call her! This is traditionally the most dreaded Sunday of the year in the…
Letting go
A very significant relationship in my life has recently come to a close. This relationship has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. It impacted every aspect of my upbringing and guided me in all the major decisions of my life up to this…
Sunday in Outer Blogness: a woman’s worth edition!!!
On the even of the most dreaded holiday for women on the Mormon liturgical calendar, Elizabeth Smart made a statement explaining what’s wrong with object lessons teaching girls that after having sex, they’re used-up and disgusting, like chewed-gum, sparking lots of discussion (including about other unhelpful chastity lessons). But since…
The Inconvenient Truths about Mormon Lactivism
Recently there has been much talk surrounding a YW leader who is unfortunately threatened of having her temple recommend withdrawn if she does not leave the room or cover herself while breastfeeding at church meetings. (Call to Action – Lactivism) There are many things wrong with this scenario. The LDS…
Earthly father, invisible mother, sort of like our Heavenly Parents?
There’s a new video on the YouTube Mormon Channel comparing earthly fatherhood to Heavenly Fatherhood, and I generally agree with the sentiments about the importance of fathers, but a few things really bother me. First, there’s the implication that fatherhood is primarily about providing materially. Second, the wife of the father…
A MESSAGE TO ALL HOMOPHOBIC PEOPLE AND A LETTER TO MY MOTHER
A MESSAGE TO ALL HOMOPHOBIC PEOPLE Another 17 year old boy named Jack Denton Reese committed suicide on April 22 in Mountain Green, Utah after being bullied for being feminine and/or gay, the day before his boyfriend Alex Smith spoke at a panel about the bullying Jack experienced. The panel…