Throughout history, the Mormon religion and culture has been judged by the American society for their differing beliefs on the values in life. The stereotypical view of the Mormon faith and culture in the United States has been completely perverted especially when concerning the role of women. It is viewed that women are oppressed citizens in Mormon societies with a lack of rights when compared to men. There is a common misunderstanding that suspects that women are secluded off from the rest of society and ignorant to their surroundings as they are left in the homes of their husbands without a voice to be heard, but this common misconception is incorrect because many women do find a connection and relationship amongst each other. This bond and role of sisterhood plays a major role in the lives of women in the Mormon faith and culture.
The idea of sisterhood that was uniting women of the Mormon society was augmented with the role of plural marriages. It may be assumed that the idea and practice of plural marriages would create a division amongst women in the households of their husband but quite the contrary occurred. Plural marriages allowed the women to find a common bond amongst each other and helped them unite as a whole family and work hard and thrive together when raising their children and living in peace. Derr highlights the importance of plural marriage and its contributions to the strength and unification of the women as she described throughout the text that plural marriages were a method of sanctifying the common bonds between women in the general society.
Derr also describes how women were very content with their role in society and their distinct separation from men. They felt no need to fight for equal rights and freedom because they believed that they knew and understood their role in society. The sphere of sisterhood was enough for them and they were satisfied especially with their own unique unification with one another.
Discussion questions:
1.) Do you feel that in the past and also in the present concerning women apart of the FLDS that women were truly aware of their potential in society and the things that they could accomplish beyond raising a family? Why do you think that a majority of the women chose to keep their constrained and limited role in society as opposed for furthering their education? Do you think it is because that is what they consider the norm and are not aware of the many opportunities that they can pursue or that it is a lifestyle that they truly yearn to strive for?
2.) How do you think Joseph Smith’s view on the role of women in the Mormon society help structure and impact the beliefs that were formulated concerning sisterhood and unification? How did the words of the prophets affect the differing roles of women over time in Mormon culture?
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I don’t think that Mormon women held a limited role in society and were unaware of various opportunities. I believe that Mormon women knew and fulfilled what they thought was the greatest opportunity and impact on society. This is not because it was the norm in society but it was because of their faith to Mormonism. The basis of human exaltation is to raise a family and the Mormons recognize that “motherhood is the greatest potential influence either for good or ill in human life” (Benson). Based on this, many Mormon women decided to focus on what was important – a family. Furthermore, I don’t agree with the statement “a majority of the women chose to keep their constrained and limited role in society”. I think that motherhood and raising a family requires skills and essentially determines what society is like. Although it may appear that Mormon women limited themselves, to them, they were making the most important impact on society possible.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Betty that the Mormon women knew their potential, and chose motherhood because they view it as a higher honor. Especially with the accomplishments of the relief society, it is unrealistic to expect these intelligent leaders to be completely oblivious to their impact on their community. The unity and sense of identity the sisterhood organizations provide spiritual support that these women deemed superior to their individual sense of accomplishment. Their “limited role in society” gave these women happiness, despite how mainstream society clucks at and sympathizes with those “poor women” that could only be mothers and not “real professionals”. Currently we’re in a world that expects women to be both professionals and mothers, unrealistically expecting both roles to be filled smoothly and with gusto. I believe that women have the right to choose what they want to dedicate their lives and energies to, and if the Mormon women chose motherhood instead of working, it is their decision and not our place to lament the loss of potential. We can’t force people to contribute to society, after all America is founded on the “the pursuit of happiness”.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree that Mormon women accepted their role as mothers with a feeling of divine direction. Using their faith, the women chose their place and, even when given the vote, they upheld the institution that offered them such a 'limited role'. I believe that they knew what society could offer to them and they recognized their potential, yet chose a higher calling in motherhood.
ReplyDeleteThe very act of mothering their children allowed Mormon women to affect society positively through their children. By teaching their children proper values, Mormon women could begin to mold the Mormon community to how they saw fit, if only on a very small scale. The Mormon women accepted their removal from the public sphere and used their faith to drive their actions in the important role of being a mother.