Episode 48: The Pain of Patriarchy: "To Create an Equal World"

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In this episode from The Pain of Patriarchy series, Katrina shares her experience.

Child's Drawing for a Better and Gender Equal World

Episode 47: The Pain of Patriarchy: "Seen As Less Than"

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In this episode from The Pain of Patriarchy series, Tiffany shares her experience.

Art by Tertius Alio

Episode 46: The Pain of Patriarchy: "Their Fruits Don't Nourish Me"

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In this episode from The Pain of Patriarchy series, Sara shares her experience.

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Episode 45: The Pain of Patriarchy: "Possibly Condemned"

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In this episode from The Pain of Patriarchy series, Courtney shares her experience.

Art by James Christensen

Episode 44: The Pain of Patriarchy: "A Structural Flaw"

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In this episode from The Pain of Patriarchy series, Amelia shares her experience.

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Episode 43: The Pain of Patriarchy: "An Iceberg Beneath"

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Photograph by Jonathan Green

About a year ago, I recorded a piece about the pain I feel from being raised under patriarchy. I never had the courage to post it because it felt so vulnerable. It wasn't until a friend of mine expressed her pain at awakening to the crushing weight of patriarchy that I revisited that recording and shared it with her. Together, we decided to create a series about the pain of patriarchy, as this is an experience that is common to many women in the church. This episode contains my original recording.

In the following episodes for this series, you will hear the voices of Amelia, Courtney, Sara, Tiffany, and Katrina. Each of these women gives a different perspective and voice to her journey.

Below, you can also hear an added male perspective from Gail.

The Pain of Patriarchy: "The Men Give the Equality to the Women" — Gail

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*As always, thanks to Kevin MacLeod for the music.

Episode 33: Garments—To Cover Our Nakedness

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1927 Garment Ad

Once you're endowed, wearing garments is meant to be a life-long commitment and is a sign of an active member of the church. Have you ever looked at someone to try to determine if they were wearing garments or caught someone checking you out to see if you were wearing them? Beyond their symbolism, garments come to mean many things to women who wear them. In this short panel discussion, Sybil, Jenni B, and Katrina talk about their experiences with garments.

Episode 31: Good Girl Syndrome Part II

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Many of us learned to be "good girls," meaning that we understood that our purpose was to please others and not to please ourselves. Layered in with this teaching were messages about sex and sexuality.

We didn't want to be chewed gum or a licked cupcake. We wanted to keep ourselves safe from the sexual urges of the opposite sex. And, of course, not to be sexual ourselves; that was associated with sinning.

While these messages were likely intended to keep us safe, they did so at a cost,
which usually reveals itself in the marriage
bed. What does a good girl do with sex?

Join Sybil, Amelia, Sara, Heather, and Jenni for the second half of their discussion about their experiences with and the causes and effects of Good Girl Syndrome.

For resources and to comment, please see Part I.

Episode 30: Good Girl Syndrome Part I

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Join Sybil, Amelia, Sara, Heather, and Jenni for the first part of their discussion about their experiences with and the causes and effects of Good Girl Syndrome.

Resources

• And They Were Not Ashamed by Laura Brotherson
• The Mormon Missionary Position
• Passionate Hearts edited by Wendy Maltz
• Intimate Kisses edited by Wendy Maltz
• The Soul of Sex by Thomas Moore
• Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin
• Women's Therapy Center on Vulvar Vestibulitis
• Do Atheists Have Better Sex Lives? 
• Mormon Stories: 245 Pornography, Masturbation, Sex and Marriage in Mormonism
• Mormon Stories: 214-216 LDS Female Sexuality with Dr Jennifer Finlayson-Fife
• Mormon Stories: 300-301: LDS Women and Sexual Desire with Dr. Jennifer Finlayson-Fife
• Mormon Stories: 280: How to Have Better Sex in Your Mormon Marriage
• Mormon Expression: Episode 120a: Female Sexuality in the LDS Culture Part 1
• Mormon Expression: Episode 120b: Female Sexuality in the LDS Culture Part 2

Episode 23: Every 3rd Sunday — Fasting for the Goddess

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Art by Willow Arlenea

A little while ago, Jena contacted me about a project she has started to fast for revelation about Heavenly Mother. In this episode, she tells her story as she grew in her interest and desire to know her Mother God and how she came to start this project. She extends an invitation to fast on the third Sunday of each month for specific and official revelation about Heavenly Mother. For more detail, check out these links:

• Official "Join the Mother Fast" page
• Jena's original post about her project
• Preparing for the July 2011 fast
• Aftermath of the July 2011 fast
• Jena's Blog: Like Unto Eve

Jena will be watching the comments to 
answer questions or discuss issues 
raised in her interview.

Jena's Recommended Resources 
Articles

• "Yes, You Are" by Sarah D. Bunting on Tomato Nation
• "A Mother There" A Survey of Historical Teachings about Mother in Heaven by David L. Paulsen and Martin Pulido
• Nephi and His Asherah by Daniel Peterson 

Books

• Healing Wise by Susan Weed 
• Eve and the Choice Made in Eden by Beverly Campbell
• Dance of the Dissident Daughter by Sue Monk Kidd

Mormon Matters Podcast

• Ritual within Mormonism
• Heavenly Mother in Today's Mormonism
• Mormon Women and Equality
• Mormon Feminism, Women, and Claudia Bushman Part 1
• Mormon Feminism, Women, and Claudia Bushman Part 2
  

Episode 22: "Choices and Options" — Katrina's Story

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Art by Brian Kershisnick

Part of the aim of this podcast is to give voice to our stories as Daughters of Mormonism. This episode is an interview with Katrina, one of our panelists. She shares how her story didn't happen the way she had planned, as she married a divorced man with three children.

When they applied for a sealing clearance so they could marry in the temple, they were denied with no explanation. Katrina moved on from this point to create her own script for her life, including how she would bear her children.

Katrina will be watching the comments to answer questions or discuss issues raised in her interview.



Posts from Katrina's Blog: Musings of a Redhead

• The Story of Miriam's Breech Homebirth
• Birth and Breastfeeding Resources
   
   
• Finding My Inner Feminist Part I
• Finding My Inner Feminist Part II
• Finding My Inner Feminist Part III

Katrina's Photography Websites

• At Mother's Breast Photography Project
• Redbean Photography

Recommended Books

• Mother Wove the Morning by Carol Lynn Pearson
• Introduction to Mother Wove the Morning
• Beginnings and Beyond by Carol Lynn Pearson
• Daughters of Light by Carol Lynn Pearson
• The Flight and the Nest by Carol Lynn Pearson
• Dance of the Dissident Daughter by Sue Monk Kidd

Episode 20: "I have found my violin" — Motherhood vs. Education & Career, Part II

PART II
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Motherhood by Ann Gardner

This is the second half of the interview with Beatrice where she discusses her life after having her child and how she found balance between motherhood and her passion for research and teaching.

What have been your experiences in finding a balance between motherhood and your own dreams and passions?

Beatrice will be watching the comments to answer questions or discuss issues raised in her interview.

For resources and references,
see Part I of this interview.

Episode 19: "I have found my violin" — Motherhood vs. Education & Career, Part I

PART I
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Violet and Her Violin by Ann Gardner

Much has been said about the role of motherhood. Ezra Taft Benson, in particular, spoke at length about women's roles. Because of the strong directive to stay at home and be mothers, many women have felt conflict over desires to pursue educational and career opportunities. More recently, leaders have spoken of the importance of women getting a good education.

In this two-part episode, Beatrice shares her passion for teaching and research as she tells about getting her PhD and having her first child. She compares her strong drive toward pursuing her dreams to the intimate passion a violinist feels for her violin.


What have been your experiences in finding a balance 
between motherhood and your own dreams and passions? 

Beatrice will be watching the comments to answer questions or discuss issues raised in her interview.

Resources from Beatrice

• Beatrice's Blog: Both Sides Now
• Hi, I'm Emily! from the recent Mormon Ad Campaign
• LDS Family Ideals versus the Equality of Women:Navigating the Changes Since 1957 by Carrie A. Miles
• My Name is Asher Lev by Chaim Potok
• The Chosen by Chaim Potok

The Crosswicks Journals by Madeline L'Engle

• A Circle of Quiet
• The Summer of the Great-Grandmother
• The Irrational Season
• Two Part Invention: The Story of Marriage

Episode 17: "She wasn't a wife for me": Polygamy in Mainstream Mormonism

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Polygamy has been a part of the Mormon church almost from the beginning. Current church policy prohibits the practice of marrying and living with multiple wives, although there are still men who are sealed to multiple women.

This episode is the story of a woman who grew up in mainstream Mormonism and how she and her husband searched for a way to practice the doctrine of the plurality of wives inside the dictates of the church and the law of the land.

Michelle will be watching the comments so she can respond to questions and discuss issues brought up in her story. 

As you leave comments, remember that Daughter of Mormonism seeks to provide a safe place for women to share their stories. This is a real story from a real person. Please see the Comment Policy for further details.

If you would like to learn more about polygamy in the early Mormon church, here are some resources.

Websites

• Remembering the Wives of Joseph Smith 
• Family Search Record for Joseph Smith
• LDS.org entry for Polygamy (Plural Marriage)

Books

• Mormon Enigma: Emma Hale Smith by Linda King Newell and Valeen Tippetts Avery 
• In Sacred Loneliness: The Plural Wives of Joseph Smith by Todd Compton 
• Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling by Richard Lyman Bushman

Podcasts

• Mormon Stories: Intro to Mormon Polygamy with Todd Compton Pt. 1
• Mormon Stories: Intro to Mormon Polygamy with Todd Compton Pt. 2
• Mormon Stories: Intro to Mormon Polygamy with Todd Compton Pt. 3
• Mormon Expression: The Plural Wives of Joseph Smith 
• Mormon Expression: Book Club: Mormon Enigma: Emma Hale Smith
• Mormon Expression: Polygamy Manifesto for Dummies Part 1 
• Mormon Expression: Polygamy Manifesto for Dummies Part 2 

Episode 14: "Replanting My Garden" — Heather's Story

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Part of the aim of this podcast is to give voice to our stories as Daughters of Mormonism. This episode is an interview with Heather, one of our panelists. She shares her experiences with unassisted childbirth, "lactivism," the garden of her testimony, and more.

Heather will be watching the comments to answer questions or discuss issues raised in her interview.

Links from Heather's interview:

• The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman
• Applebee's Nurse In 
• Hey Facebook, Breastfeeding isn't Obscene (Official Petition to Facebook)
• Laura Shanley, author of Unassisted Childbirth
• Zelophehad's Daughters
• The Exponent
• Feminist Mormon Housewives
• Dance of the Dissident Daughter
• Mother Wove the Morning
• With Your Mutual Approbation

Heather's Blog Posts:

• Modesty and Breastfeeding 
• Breastfeeding in Church
• Margaret's Birth Story (also published in the book Simply Give Birth)
• Isaac's Birth Story
• Green Garment Campaign

Episode 13: Finding the Divine Feminine, Part II

PART II
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Art by Francene Hart

This is the second half of our panel discussion on the female divine. In this discussion, Sybil, Sara, Amelia, Juliane, Heather, and Katrina continue their conversation about Mother in Heaven, Heavenly Mother, Goddess, the Divine Feminine.

The panelists will be watching the comments to answer questions and discuss issues raised during the discussion.

If you have ideas for a second panel discussion on the Divine Feminine, please share your thoughts in the comments.

For resources and references, see Part I of this discussion.  

Episode 12: Finding the Divine Feminine, Part I

PART I
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Art by Francene Hart

In this panel discussion, you'll hear Sybil, Sara, Amelia, Juliane, Heather, and Katrina talk about Mother in Heaven, Heavenly Mother, Goddess, the Divine Feminine.

The panelists will be watching the comments to answer questions and discuss issues raised during the discussion.

Here are references and resources for this topic, several of which were cited or mentioned in the panel discussion.

• "A Mother There" A Survey of Historical Teachings about Mother in Heaven by David L. Paulsen and Martin Pulido
• Mormon Matters podcast Heavenly Mother in Today's Mormonism: Discussing the BYU Studies article "A Mother There"
• Review of Paulsen and Pulido's "A Mother There" by RT at Faith Promoting Rumor 
• Is There a Place for Heavenly Mother in Mormon Theology?: An Investigation into Discourses of Power by Margaret Toscano
• How to Worship Our Mother in Heaven (Without Getting Excommunicated) by Kevin L. Barney 
• God As Mother by Carrie A. Miles
• The Mormon Concept of a Mother in Heaven by Linda Wilcox
• The Genesis of Gender, or Why Mother in Heaven Can't Save You by Carrie A. Miles (followed by) If I Hate My Mother, Can I Love the Heavenly Mother? Personal Identity, Parental Relationships and Perceptions of God by Margaret Toscano
• Reflections On God The Mother by Julie Nicholes (followed by) Native American Concepts of a Mother in Heaven Bonnie Mitchelle (followed by) A Response by Suzanne Lundquist
• Feminist Episcopalian podcast: Circle Connections 
• Mother Wove the Morning by Carol Lynn Pearson
• Introduction from Mother Wove the Morning by Carol Lynn Pearson 
• Emerging Discourse on the Divine Feminine compiled by Maxine Hanks
• Personal Discourse on the God the Mother by Martha Pierce
• Daughters of God by Gordon B. Hinckley

Episode 9: Speaking of the Temple

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Billings, Montana Temple by Kendall Davenport

Back in April, Juliane, another of our panelists, was asked to give a talk in church about temples. She has mixed feelings about the temple and many unanswered questions, so she wasn't sure what she would say. The talk that she ended up giving was written out in full before she gave it. Her talk is brave and beautiful.

This podcast presents her talk along with some context about preparing the talk and  her feelings about being married in the temple.

Juliane will be watching the comments so she can answer questions or discuss issues that are brought up in her talk.

Here is the full text of her talk, as published on her blog. 

There will be another podcast soon that discusses the aftermath of this talk and goes into Juliane's history as convert from Germany.