Episode 35: "Connected to this Life" — Jenne's Story Part II

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Photo Credit

Part of the aim of this podcast is to give voice to our stories as Daughters of Mormonism. This episode is an interview with Jenne, one of our panelists.

In this interview she talks about her journey toward finding her voice as an advocate and discovering her personal mode of spirituality. Jenne began as a Unitarian Universalist, later converting to LDS church in the aftermath of her father's death. Now she calls herself a Universalist Mormon Pagan, and she reaches out with her heart and abilities to help women with childbirth and trauma as she connects to this life through her children.


For resources and to comment, please see Part I.

Episode 34: "Connected to this Life" — Jenne's Story Part I

Right click here to download the mp3.

Jenne will be watching the comments to respond to the ideas brought up in her interview.

Resources and References

• What Dreams May Come by Richard Matheson, BOOK and FILM
• The Science of Mind by Ernest Holmes
• Fighting for Your Marriage by Howard Markman, Scott Stanley, Susan Blumberg
• Empowering Couples Building on Your Strengths by David Olson and Amy Olson 
• First Comes Love by Douglas Brinley and Mark Ogletree
• Women of the Church by Gordon Hinckley
• How Can I Become the Woman of Whom I Dream? by Gordon Hinckley
• Words of the Prophet: Seek Learning by Gordon Hinckley (Special Counsel for Girls heading)
• Mormon Podcast Community
• Mormon Democrats on Facebook
• Solace for Mothers
• Mutual Approbation
• Fair 
• How to Worship Our Mother In Heaven (Without Getting Excommunicated) by Kevin Barney
• Jenne's blog post on the above article
• Yoga of Christ by Philip McLemore
• Women and Authority edited by Maxine Hanks
• Mother Wheel
• Yo Gabba Gabba

Special thanks to Carolyn Erigero for taking care of "cute but determined" during the recording of this interview.

Episode 32: "Not Suffering" — Opening Sexual Identity

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Art by Randi Johns

In the recent past, there was only one sexual identity: Heterosexual. It was the norm in such a way that there wasn't really any space in the collective understanding for alternate sexual identities. Today, sexual identity has become a place of discovery, controversy, and question, bringing in terms like gay, lesbian, homosexual, bi-sexual, and transsexual. Julia identifies herself as queer, which is not so much a sexual identity as an approach to sexuality that leaves the "box" wide open. She talks about the freedom that comes from being in a safe place to exist as she is.

Julia will be watching the comments to respond to the ideas brought up in her interview.

As you leave comments, remember that Daughters 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. 

Resources and References

• Queer and Questioning Blog
• PDF download of Trans/gender 101: Terms and Explanations
  
• Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network
• PDF download for Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network "Guide to Being an Ally"
  
• TransChristians
• Affirmation
  
• Gender Trouble by Judith Butler
• Gender Outlaw: On Men, Women, and the Rest of Us by Kate Bornstein
• Gender Outlaws: The Next Generation by Kate Bornstein
• "Cleansing the Inner Vessel" by Boyd K. Packer RECORDED VIDEO
• "Cleansing the Inner Vessel" by Boyd K. Packer EDITED TRANSCRIPT
• ABC News article on the edit  
• Quote from The Miracle of Forgiveness by Spencer W. Kimball about masturbation leading to homosexuality: "Thus prophets anciently and today condemn masturbation [...] it too often leads to grievous sin, even to that sin against nature, homosexuality. For, done in private, it evolves often into mutual masturbation--practiced with another person of the same sex and thence into total homosexuality."

Episode 27: "I came out of the womb singing" — The Divine Worth of a Lesbian

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Art by Mara Berendt Friedman

As a teen, Janice converted to the LDS church as part of an attempt to cure herself of her lesbianism. She served a mission and married in the temple as part of her determination to be "fixed." Her journey to find her whole self — the wild woman, the lesbian, the feminist — led her into the depths of depression and to the brink of taking her own life where she was gifted with a deep realization that God loved her.

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

As you leave comments, remember that Daughters 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.

Janice's Recommended Resources

• Women Who Run with the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estes
• Mormon Stories Podcast hosted by John Delin
• Mormon Matters Podcast hosted by Dan Wotherspoon
• Ask Mormon Girl by Joanna Brooks
• Dialogue: Journal of Mormon Thought
• Sunstone Magazine
• Affirmation.org for Gay and Lesbian Mormons
• Stonewall Center

You can contact Janice at outofthewombsinging @ gmail.com

Episode 25: "Sacred all the way through" — Owning Her Lesbian Self Part II

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Art by Marcia Snedecor

Here is the second half of the interview with Stacey where she tells about coming out as a lesbian, getting her master's degree, continuing her relationship with her husband through their divorce and departure from the church, and finding her feet as a whole self.

To leave comments and for resources, please see Part I of Stacey's story.

As you leave comments, remember that Daughters 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.

Episode 24: "Sacred all the way through" — Owning Her Lesbian Self Part I

Right click here to download the mp3.

Art by Marcia Snedecor

After her mother converted to Mormonism, Stacey was baptized a member of the church at age eight. The church offered her a place of safety and stability in the midst of difficult family life. She went on to attend BYU, serve a mission, marry a returned missionary in the temple, and have four children. But all the while, she knew she was different. No matter how much she threw herself into being the best possible Mormon, there was always something hiding below the surface ... that she was a lesbian.

Stacey 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 Daughters 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.

Resources from Stacey

Support Groups

• Affirmation: Gay & Lesbian Mormons: Women's Links
• Mormon Lesbian Big Tent Support Group
• Mormon Lesbian Yahoo Group

Books & Articles

• Dance of the Dissident Daughter by Sue Monk Kidd
• The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown
• There's Nothing Wrong with You by Cheri Huber
• Healing Trauma by Peter A. Levine
• Article on The Key to Healing Trauma by Peter A. Levine
• The Happiness Trap by Russ Harris
• Wikipedia article on panopticon tower structure
• Refuge by Terry Tempest Williams and a review of Refuge
• Review of The God We Never Knew by Marcus Borg

TED Talks

• "The Power of Vulnerability" TED Talk by Brene Brown 
• "Suddenly, my body" TED Talk by Eve Ensler, the author of the Vagina Monologues

Religious Exploration

• Belief-O-Matic "What's Your Faith?" Quiz which takes you through about 20 questions to see where your personal beliefs align with various faiths

Episode 7: "No Room For Fear" — Amelia'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 Amelia, who will be one of our panelists for future discussions. She shares her journey to this point and talks particularly about Proposition 8 and having a voice that is heard.

Amelia will be watching the comments to answer questions or discuss issues raised in her talk.

• On Being  hosted by Krista Tippett (the archives include all the shows from when it was know as "Speaking of Faith" also)
• "The Soul in Depression" from On Being
• "A Wild Love for the World" with Joanna Macy, from On Being
• "The Vitality of the Struggle" with Terry Tempest Williams, from On Being
• "Heretics" from This American Life
• Pema Chodron on Bill Moyers' On Faith & Reason
• Refuge by Terry Tempest Williams
• Rilke's Book of Hours: Love Poems to God  (trans. Joanna Macy and Anita Barrows)
• Dickinson's 508/353 "I'm ceded..."
• Dickinson's 632/598 "The Brain -- is wider than the Sky"
• Stephen Prothero "Against the 'Answer Bank' Theory of Religion"