Episode 39: Childless by Choice Part II

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In the second part of the discussion, Sybil, Amy, and Shelby talk about how they've thought being mothers and alternatives to bearing children.

* By having this conversation, we are in no way saying that motherhood or children are wrong or undesirable. We are only expressing our own experiences.

For resources and references, and to comment on this panel discussion, please see Part I.

Episode 38: Childless by Choice Part I

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Because motherhood and having children are such an intrinsic part of the way women are defined in the church, trying to have a conversation among those who have chosen not to have children ... it can be difficult. In some ways, child-free women can feel marginalized and/or invisible in the church because they aren't "fulfilling their purpose" as a mother.

In this panel discussion, Sybil is joined by guest panelists Amy and Shelby to talk about their experiences as women who have currently chosen not to have children. They also discuss how they remain childless, their fears and thoughts about motherhood, and more.

* By having this conversation, we are in no way saying that motherhood or children are wrong or undesirable. We are only expressing our own experiences.

The panelists will be watching the comments to respond to ideas and issues brought up in this discussion. 

Resources

• The Childless By Choice Project
• The Childfree Life Forum
• Two Is Enough: A Couple's Guide to Living Childless by Choice
• Inspiration for Childless and Childfree Women: Big Deal?
• Things You Should Never Say to a Person Who is Childless by Choice by DefyGravity 
• Childfree in the Church by Cha Cha from Feminist Mormon Housewives

References

"One of our family members recently overheard a young couple on an airline flight explaining that they chose to have a dog instead of children. 'Dogs are less trouble,' they declared. 'Dogs don’t talk back, and we never have to ground them.' We rejoice that so many Latter-day Saint couples are among that unselfish group who are willing to surrender their personal priorities and serve the Lord by bearing and rearing the children our Heavenly Father sends to their care. (from "Unselfish Service" by Dallin Oaks)

"How can mothers justify their abandonment of home when they are needed so much by their offspring? Rationalization must take over as they justify themselves in leaving home and children." (from Faith Precedes the Miracle by Spencer W. Kimball, pages 116-17.)

Episode 37: Re-Visioning the Garment Symbols

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Art by Mara Berendt Friedman

Sometimes our thirst for divine reflection of our gender can lead us to fascinating places. In this panel discussion our panelists Jenne A and Jenni B are joined by their friends Jena and Genevieve to present an interpretation of the garment symbols that includes the Divine Feminine. In addition to the meaning they give the symbols, they have also created daily rituals that help them to connect to their garments in a positive way.

The panelists will be watching the comments to respond to ideas and to elaborate on the symbolism and practices they share in the discussion. 



Resources and References

• LDS Endowment (Be advised: This site contains direct wording and description of the Temple Ceremony) 
• Ephesians 6:11-18 (verse 14 about loins girt with truth, verse 16 about the shield)
• 4-part Godhead
• Ideas about Multiple Mortal Probations by Jenne A
• My Search for the Divine Feminine by Ryan Thomas (Exponent article about why people believe that the Spirit might be female: page 25 in this issue) 
• Eve as Balance to Christ from Daughters of Mormonism
• The Sacrament of Birth by Analiesa Leonhardt 
• The Two Trees by Valerie Hudson
• How to Worship Our Mother In Heaven (Without Getting Excommunicated) by Kevin Barney
• Jenne A's blog post on the above article

Two Facebook Groups that Happened as a Result of this Panel Discussion

• Wildly Speculative (Feminist) Mormon Theology 
• Mormon Moon Circle: Once a month on the new moon this group (which includes the women from the panel discussion) hold a "live" meeting where they explore and enhance their spirituality by sharing experiences or epiphanies they’ve had, and doing a group visualization/meditation and prayer circle.

Episode 36: The Descent of the Wounded Soul

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Christ of the Abyss

Special Episode for Easter: There are so many of us who hide our wounded souls, fearful that others will see our pain. Often we are drowned in feelings of hopelessness and despair of ever healing.

In this short episode, I give my own interpretation of Christ's atonement and resurrection. In my view, he is showing us the path of our own healing. When Christ said, "Come follow me," perhaps he was showing us the way into our own darkness. 

Isaiah Reference: Isaiah 61:3

Please share your own experiences of wounding and healing in the comments. Please also feel free to share things that have helped you on your journey.

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

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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 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

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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 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 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."