Exponent II's Blog, page 240

Buy Tickets for Others to See Jane and Emma

[image error]In the wake of the media fast, which might very well tank ticket sales for the new movie Jane and Emma (debuting in Utah this weekend), some women are organizing a donation project in which people who don’t live in Utah buy tickets for the film. These tickets are distributed to people who can go see the movie. I understand that the organizers are trying to get the tickets to youths, especially youths of color, as well as other groups.

So far they’ve raised almost $1000 for tickets.

If you would like to participate in this grassroots effort to support this film, please paypal money to http://www.paypal.me/jillmccampbell

You can trace how the donations are coming in here at this spreadsheet.

 

 

Guest Post: Social Media Fast or Amplifying Women’s Voices?

[image error] by Charlotte Shurtz

In the Women’s session of General Conference this weekend, President Eyring talked about Eve and how she chose between the fruit of the tree of Knowledge and the tree of Life. Both knowledge and life are good things. Eve was the first to recognize the right choice and the first to choose in that story. And she chose correctly.

Similarly, I heard two guidelines from the general women’s session of #ldsconf. First, that the church and the world need the perspectives and voices of women. Second, the advice to take a 10 day fast from social media.

Personally, one of the places I amplify my voice, share my perspective as a woman, and find events and causes I can join in with other women is on social media. So, I am faced with making a choice between amplifying my voice and the voice of other women or restricting my voice (via the social media fast). Like Eve, I am faced with two options. Both are good. Women’s voices really need to be heard, both in the world and the church. And taking a break from social media from time to time can be necessary for emotional health or for re-focusing.

I choose the first, to amplify my voice and the voices of other women. By choosing this I do not mean to imply that other women who choose the social media fast are choosing poorly. Rather, this is the conclusion I have come to for myself and only for myself.

Over the next ten days, I plan amplify the voices and perspectives of women by sharing a video, article, or artwork by a woman. I’m excited to start this today, and I’d love to have other women join me in amplifying women’s voices and perspectives!

Charlotte Shurtz is a senior at Brigham Young University, where she studies English and Civic Engagement. She enjoys learning to cook foods from different cultures and going on hikes.

Why I’m not fasting from social media

Ah, social media. If the 1950s image you have of a woman involves her talking on the phone with a friend, the 2010s image surely involves her Instagramming photos of her toddlers.

Are you feeling guilty yet for taking your eyes off your small child at the park to read this post? If you’re Mormon and female, the chances are good that you are. Unless we’re “flooding the earth” with gospel-centered memes and messages as Elder Bednar suggests we do, it’s a waste of time–and maybe dangerous! Mommy bloggers warn us that social media is affecting our parenting, and just this week President Nelson asked us to participate in a 10-day fast from social media “and from any other media that bring negative and impure thoughts to your mind.”

Whoa–wait. Social media brings negative and impure thoughts to my mind? I don’t know who you’re following, but I’ve noticed that social media tends to connect me with friends around the world, introduce me to new ideas, and serve as a support group platform for the many negative things that are going on in the world around me. Ignoring negativity doesn’t make me feel better: it just makes me ignorant.

So here’s my list of why I’m not participating in this fast:

1. Because men are not being asked to do the same thing. Lets note that the only groups that have been asked to abstain from social media have been women and youth. Were such a call extended to men as well, I’d be more likely to give it a chance, but including me with the under-18 crowd is infantilizing.

2. Because social media is an important way for women to support each other. The #MeToo movement, the creation of Mormon Women for Ethical Government,  forums for supporting mommies or LDS graduate students or survivors of abuse–these are all things that women come to social media to participate in. It’s a way to have a voice and to learn that we aren’t alone. During the recent Kavanaugh hearings, Facebook was a great platform for Mormon women to share our concerns with our elected representatives–sure, we were ignored, but we know they heard us. And then we had a place to express our outrage and disappointment and anger.

3. Because there’s an election coming up. Instead of a megaphone and a soapbox, modern-day would-be political influencers use social media to talk about the issues. Here in Massachusetts, one of our ballot questions has to do with regulating how many patients a nurse would be responsible for in different situations. Since there are nurses both for and against it, I want to hear from both sides–and not the 30-second scare tactic ads I see on TV, thanks. I want reasoning and explanations.

4. Because social media is the place that many female entrepreneurs rely on for advertising and word-of-mouth. I still want parents of kids who are going to take the SAT this year to see messages from my SAT-prep company–and, as those kids’ parents, so do you. As a small business owner, I’ve also learned that advertising through social media gives me a bigger bang for my buck than the local newspaper, while allowing me to target people more effectively than I could on radio. LDS women, specifically, have been dissuaded from entering the traditional workforce, and a disproportionate number of us support our families either partially or solely by selling on Etsy and Insta. The movie Jane and Emma has relied heavily on its online presence during this opening week, and many of the women who would otherwise see it and be edified by it aren’t seeing those messages. Go see it, by the way.

5. Because it keeps us away from the news. My local newspapers and TV stations aren’t covering the sex abuse lawsuit filed against President Nelson’s daughter and son-in-law, but I think it’s important for me to follow even though I don’t live in Utah. I’m sure President Nelson would include that instance in his list of “negative and impure thoughts,” but being an informed and engaged citizen–even and especially when the topic is so horrible–is a vital part of being “anxiously engaged in a good cause.” Doing good requires us to know where there is evil. We cannot lift the world from its fallen state if we refuse to look at the bottom of the well.

6. Because in the same talk, President Nelson said that the church needs women. Quoting one of his own talks from 2015, he said,

My dear sisters, we need you! We need your strength, your conversion, your conviction, your ability to lead, your wisdom, and your voices.” We simply cannot gather Israel without you.

Pick any or all of the above.

Guest Post: They Forget That We Are There

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A letter I wrote Sunday evening after watching General Conference.

To the Primary Presidency, General Young Women Presidency, General Relief Society Presidency, and First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints:

I am writing to express gratitude for the messages shared by Sisters Craig and Franco and Presidents Jones and Cordon during this most recent General Conference. I was inspired by their words, experiences, and testimonies about living their faith and striving to become like Christ.

I am also writing to plead with you to advocate for more women’s voices throughout General Conference. It was disheartening to hear only one woman during any of the general sessions and to have half of the women’s session speaking time occupied by men, even when those men are the members of the First Presidency. There are many qualified and inspired women available to choose from, and many women of the Church hunger for the feast their words can provide. This includes the leadership of the General Relief Society Presidency which we did not hear any addresses from.

President Nelson spoke emphatically about the necessity of women in the gathering of Israel. During the women’s session he said, “We need you. We need your strength, your conversion, your conviction, your ability to lead, your wisdom, and your voices. We simply cannot gather Israel without you.” Chances for women to lead and share our voices are so limited. It is not enough to be told that our voices are needed if we are not given the opportunity to speak.

In an interview from 2005, Sister Chieko Okazaki commented on the introduction of the Family Proclamation. She was serving as a counselor in the General Relief Society Presidency in 1995. The Family Proclamation was presented to the General Relief Society Presidency as a completed document and the only input requested was when it should be introduced. Her question was why the women were not consulted. She reflected on this experience that, “Sometimes I think they get so busy that they forget that we are there,” referring to the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve. This is a sentiment that, sadly, still feels true today. I believe that the male leadership of the Church care deeply about us, but that they are not fully comprehending our needs. They are forgetting women are there to consult with on the needs of the women of the church.

There are many who disagree with my perspective and who might say this is an unnecessary nitpicking. A common counterpoint is that all speakers are called and inspired to speak and that the focus should be on the message not the gender. I don’t disagree that all speakers receive inspiration in preparation for their remarks. In many instances I have been uplifted and prompted by the words of the brothers speaking. However, President Oaks emphasized multiple times throughout the conference that gender is eternal and essential. If that is true, then it is necessary that the women of the Church hear the inspired words of their female leaders.

Revelation is inspired and driven by experience. Regardless of how much men empathize with women they can never fully comprehend what it is to be a woman in the Church and in the world. As such, the messages shared by our female leaders are that much more critical for the women of the Church to hear.

I again want to thank those sisters we heard from and you for your strong and steady leadership. I pray that voices like mine can be carried by you to the men who lead our Church so that we are not forgotten.

With love and hope,

Sara Chronister

Sara is a YSA in the Phoenix area and works in public health. She’s all about feminism, a good book recommendations, and outdoor adventures.

Guest Post: Jane and Emma Movie Review by Melissa Wei-Tsing Inouye

[image error]by Melissa Wei-Tsing Inouye

Jane and Emma is an independent film distributed by Deseret Book, opening in Utah this 11th, 12th, 13th, and 14th (Thursday through Sunday). It is written and produced by Latter-day Saints, including Tamu Smith and Zandra Vranes (see preview). The story is based on the historical friendship between Jane Manning James (a well-known early black Latter-day Saint) and Emma Smith, wife of the Prophet (see a news article about the film and the history here).

The film depicts Jane Manning and Emma Smith on the evening after the death of Joseph Smith, watching over the prophet’s body in the Smith home. Jane’s experiences of conversion, walking over 800 miles with her family members to join the Saints in Nauvoo, encounters with racism in the pre-Civil War era, and life as a member of the Smith household, are related in flashbacks. The relationship between Jane and Emma is depicted as intimate and characterized by mutual respect. The film also explores Emma Smith’s conflicted feelings as the devoted wife of the man who had called on her and the Latter-day Saints to make so many painful sacrifices, while also offering wondrous things to believe in and hope for. The story also alludes to Jane’s eventual marriage to Isaac James and trek west to Utah.

I found the film beautiful and moving. First, it was encouraging in terms of Church institutions’ increasing comfort with complicated and “messy” history. I am impressed with Deseret Book for distributing this film. Such institutional support for more reliable church history can also be seen in the multivolume history project, Saints, sponsored by the Church History Library.

Second, the film was also inspiring in terms of my own Latter-day Saint faith. Without a doubt, the historical legacy of Joseph Smith’s plural marriage is difficult for many Latter-day Saints. Once you know this history, it is difficult to see Joseph through another lens. And yet, this film shows both this view (including the presence of Joseph’s plural wives, and Emma’s pain and anger) and another perspective—Joseph Smith’s prophetic and completely countercultural position, in his time and place, of welcoming people of all races and backgrounds into fellowship with the Latter-day Saints.

The film also powerfully expressed the pain black Latter-day Saints feel when they encounter ugly racism within the Church, and quietly modeled how we can do better as a people. In the film, Jane’s well-known plea, “Is there no blessing for me?” is caught up into the wind and rain on a stormy night. The official affirmative answer from the Church did not come during Jane’s lifetime. What the film suggests is that Jane’s own experiences of God’s power, and her steadfast love for others, were the basis for her lifelong faith as a Latter-day Saint, despite the pain she endured at the hands of fellow church members.

The film should also be engaging and accessible to people who are not church members (this is what they should play in the Legacy Theater in order to win public respect in an age with relatively low tolerance for propaganda). It offers insight into the founding tensions of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, such as the coexistence of a revelatory, countercultural ethos and a hierarchical, patriarchal, theocratic church structure.

The major criticism I anticipate is that some people who are familiar with Joseph Smith’s doctrine and practice of plural marriage, which even the official essay on lds.org calls “an excruciating ordeal” for Emma Smith, will question Jane’s final pronouncement of Joseph Smith as a “beautiful man.” Nevertheless, the film’s depiction of Joseph Smith’s expansive vision of racial diversity within God’s kingdom is historically accurate, at least in terms of his actions and statements in the later period of his life. My sense is that the filmmakers have chosen to fully open just one can of worms (race), though they acknowledge the reality of another (plural marriage). This is a story centered on Jane.

Some Latter-day Saints may feel suspicious of the film in quite the opposite way, by questioning the validity of the depictions of racism and plural marriage within the early Church. The Gospel Topics essays on lds.org would help in this regard. It might help to remember that a few months ago at the official church event commemorating the end of a racist policy, Dallin H. Oaks, First Counselor in the First Presidency of the Church, called for everyone to repent of the sin of racism. The fact that Deseret Book is the distributor for Jane and Emma should reassure many Latter-day Saints who want to learn church history in a context of faith.

The film is appropriate for all audiences, though kids under twelve might get bored by the many dialogue scenes that develop the characters and reference historical events. (Some small children might be frightened by the image of the prophet’s body, covered by a sheet.)

From the point of view of Latter-day Saints teaching their young people, the film’s two or three brief references to plural marriage in the Smith house are helpful for the following reasons: 1) they introduce the issue in a non-sensational way, and 2) Emma’s wrestle with Joseph’s teaching of plural marriage is sympathetically portrayed, and framed in the broad context of being married to someone that everyone else loves and adores. Even more helpful is the way in which the character and narrative of Jane brings to the fore the problem of racism in our church history. It highlights the faith and fortitude of early black Latter-day Saints.

Although Jane and Emma has the potential to accomplish so much, its future currently hangs in the balance. As its opening weekend in Utah approaches, many of the people who would usually post glowing reviews and create buzz are taking a break from social media. Therefore it is critical for people who support the causes of women, racial minorities, and more nuanced church history to spread the word via “old school” networks like email, phone calls, and word of mouth. Those who want diverse perspectives to leaven Latter-day Saint culture should buy tickets in droves.

If the film is not successful in Utah in its opening weekend, this little handcart of a production will have to be abandoned when it is only just setting out on the journey the Latter-day Saints in the twenty-first century urgently require. Shoulders to the wheel!

Melissa Wei-Tsing Inouye is a member of the Sunnyvale Ward in Auckland, New Zealand.  

Resources for teaching younger (Primary-age) Latter-day Saint children about the sin of racism, which also tell Jane’s story, can be found here:

http://squaretwo.org/Sq2ArticleInouyeBlackHistory.html

Support Women Entrepreneurs, Politicians, and Advocates during LDS Women’s Social Media Fast

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The call for LDS women to fast from social media was extended at Women’s Session of General Conference.

On Saturday, President Russell M. Nelson of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints called for female members to fast from social media for 10 days. (Men were not included in this challenge.)

Many female Latter-day Saints have already heeded the call and begun social media fasts. So many, in fact, that entrepreneurs, politicians and advocates are struggling to keep in contact with this large demographic. Moreover, many of the people who rely on social media to reach their clients and constituencies also happen to be female Latter-day Saints themselves. For these women, a fast from social media isn’t just time away from cat videos, it is a potential financial hit to the businesses that support their families, lost momentum in political campaigns for an election that is less than a month away, or the absence of much-needed voices of women to address issues critical to the nation and the world—issues in which women, on average, tend to differ dramatically in opinion and perspective from their male counterparts.

At the Exponent II, our mission is to elevate the voices of Mormon* women. Now is a critical time for us to fulfill this mission. During this time of social media fasting, we are dedicating this space as a forum for Latter-day Saint women to share businesses and campaigns you support with each other—without relying on social media.

Feel free to share your business websites, your campaign websites, and your nonprofit or grassroots organizational websites in the comments below, as well as those of Latter-day Saint women that you support. During the next week or so, return to this site and click on the links to learn more about the great work your sisters are doing in the world—even without the aid of Facebook or Twitter.

With a little resourcefulness—a virtue our pioneer foremothers taught us well—we can help Latter-day Saint women who want to heed the call to fast from social media to mitigate its side effects for their businesses, campaigns and causes.

*Note: Exponent II uses the term Mormon to describe a broader demographic than members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints only. The Exponent serves all people who identify as Mormon women or Latter-day Saints, including women with cultural ties to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints but not current membership and women from other branches of Mormonism such as the Community of Christ.

Support “Jane and Emma” this Weekend!

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A beautiful film chronicling the life and friendship of Mormon women Jane Manning James and Emma Smith hits Utah theaters this Friday.  We support this wonderful project and the exceptional people who brought it together.  Please visit their site to see cast and creator interviews, as well as other stories and history behind the making of the film https://www.janeandemmamovie.com

If you live in Utah cities: Cedar City, American Fork, Salt Lake City, Orem, Provo, St. George, West Jordan, Farmington, Taylorsville, Centerville, Lehi, Vineyard, South Jordan, Sandy, Ogden, West Valley City, Logan, or Perry, there is a theater near you with tickets still available!

A broader release to Idaho, Phoenix, Las Vegas, SoCal, and Dallas markets is contingent upon a strong opening weekend in Utah.

The social media fast took film promoters by surprise this week, so gather your friends and make an enthusiastic showing for this remarkable independent film.

 

Is not this the fast that I have chosen?

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On Saturday evening, Russell M. Nelson challenged women and girls (but not men and boys) to “fast” from social media for 10 days, with the implication that a fast from social media means turning it off. Almost immediately, I started seeing posts in my Facebook feed of people announcing that they’re taking 10 days off from Facebook in response. It took all of my willpower not to comment on those posts with Matthew 6:16-18. [1]

This challenge doesn’t sit right with me. The first reason is the obvious one – it has the effect of silencing women. Women’s voices have been silenced throughout history, both in secular and religious circles. Telling women to shut up, especially with an election only a few weeks away, while leaving men to do whatever they please is the height of tone-deafness. The second reason is that social media is how I keep in touch with my loved ones. The people I care about live all around the world, and if I don’t connect with them on Facebook, I don’t really have a good way to stay in contact with them.

The third reason brings me to the point of this post. Social media is an incredible force for good and right in the world. It’s a very effective way for groups of people organize themselves to bring change. In the book of Isaiah, we learn about the purpose of fasting: “Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?” [2] It takes more than one person to loose the bands of wickedness – it takes a group, and groups organize online these days. There are people who carry heavy burdens, especially physical and mental illness, whose primary support groups exist online. Revolutions around the world have been organized on Facebook and Twitter, letting the oppressed go free. Communities are how we break every yoke, and many communities are global.

So, getting off Facebook for 10 days misses the point of fasting altogether. Jesus reminded us “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” [3]

If I were to get off Facebook for 10 days, I would be putting my candle under a bushel. So I’m not going to do that.

I invite anyone who wants to participate in a social media fast to choose another way to observe it. Use your time on social media to reach out to the downtrodden, uplift the oppressed, speak truth to power, and show love to all humankind. This is the true spirit of fasting.

God gave you a voice; don’t let men take it away.

—

[1]”Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.”
[2] Isaiah 58:6
[3] Matthew 5:14-16

#hearLDSwomen: A First Counselor in the General Relief Society Presidency’s Experience Part 1

[image error]The following is an excerpt from an interview of Chieko Okazaki, first counselor in the general Relief Society presidency from 1990-1997, by Greg Prince. The full interview can be found in Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought. 

Chieko Okazaki: I was the [general Relief Society] education counselor, so I worked with one of the men on the curriculum committee. We wanted to change the manual so that it brought up modern-day problems that women have to face and focus on how to implement some of the gospel doctrines and principles in dealing with the problem.

I had written a general outline, and the Relief Society presidency approved it. So I talked about it to a man on the Curriculum Committee. He went to his boss, and the boss said, “We don’t need a new manual for the Relief Society.” “Why don’t we need a new manual?” “We already are writing a manual for them.”

So he came back and told me that a new manual was already being prepared. I asked what it was, and he said, “Well, it’s the manual on Harold B. Lee.” It was the first one in that series of teachings of the Church presidents. I asked, “Why are they writing a manual for us on Harold B. Lee?” He didn’t know.

I told the presidency, so we went and asked the Curriculum Committee, “What is this all about?” They said, “Well, we’re already almost finished with the first book.” We said, “You’re almost finished with the first book, and you didn’t tell us that you were doing this? Why is this is the first time we have heard about it? Chieko has been writing an outline in relation to what women need.” So I asked, “Who is writing this manual?” It turned out to be five men, and the Melchizedek Priesthood quorums and Relief Society would have the same lessons.

I asked, “Why aren’t the women included in this?” Then they sort of got the point and called three women to the committee. I had one of our board members assigned to be the liaison with these three women. They got to the point where they could go through the manual and write questions in relation to the manual. And for the second one, they were part of it. But that’s how it was. I just thought, “Where are we, anyway, in this entire thing?” It was such a shock! I said, “How did this come about?” “Well, President Hinckley thought that many of the people who live outside the United States don’t have the privilege of having any doctrinal books in their homes. He thinks we should have a manual where we have the prophets speak about their doctrines, so they would at least have a doctrinal book in their home.” That’s a good idea. “He decided maybe this would be a good thing to have for the priesthood and the Relief Society.” “Well, why wasn’t it discussed with us, too?”

 

Pro tip: Recognize when there are only men making decisions, and seek women’s input. Honor the stewardships that women have.

Click here to read all of the stories in our #hearLDSwomen series. Has anything like this happened to you? Please share in the comments or submit your experience(s) to participate in the series.

“If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.” (Mark 4:23)

Guest Post: Letter to Not All Men

[image error]by Kristen Shill

Dear NAM,

Hey. I come in peace. I’m kind of a hippie pacifist, who has had to work really deliberately on direct and assertive communication.

Believe me, I get it that you are nice guys who believe that sexually assaulting women is morally objectionable. I believe you that you are freaked out about false allegations and their potential ramifications. (Let’s put aside for a moment that it’s statistically much more likely for a woman to be sexually assaulted than for a man to have false allegations made against him). I get it. I believe you.

Because see, part of being a feminist is that I believe that men are far more capable of controlling themselves than media, politics, and other people seem to think. I don’t believe that sexual assault is inherently gendered. I believe it is deeply rooted in power and politics, in systemic acceptance that “boys will be boys.”

You may have observed that many of the women in your life are on a reactive hair trigger right now. This may be confusing to you, NAM. You’re a nice guy. You haven’t assaulted anybody. You pay your taxes and mow your lawn and help lift heavy things sometimes.

What you’re failing to recognize is that a woman who reacts to something she would usually ignore, has been dealing with other nice NAM for years and lots of other men for her entire life and she’s finally fed up right now.

It began when she was a child, and she was told to sit nicely so she didn’t get her dress dirty while the boys moved their bodies.

It began when she started her first diet at age 8.

It began when she was mocked for her breasts.

It began when she was pressured to have sex and didn’t want to, but sort of said yes because she didn’t want to to make the boy angry.

It began when she was passed over for work advancements while less experienced, less qualified males received promotions for no articulable reason except for their maleness.

It began when she was sexually assaulted by a man the first time.

It began when she was sexually assaulted the second and third times.

It began when her body became a subject of national debate.

It began every time a woman has been belittled, threatened, harassed, or demeaned for existing in the world in a female body.

So is this about you, NAM? No. Not really. It’s not really about you.

It’s not really about you, you see.

It’s about us.

And your fragility, your defensiveness, and your reactivity to the bleeding, aching women in your life reinforces a narrative where your discomfort with our pain is more important than the anguish of generations of women who are fed up with swallowing their anger.

NAM, I believe you this is also hard for you.

Start believing us that this is, for many of us, literally a matter of life or death.

Please stop making this all about you.

Again.

Sincerely,

Yes, All Women

 

Kristen Shill is an attorney and writer with a passion for advocacy and activism. She lives with her craft beer enthusiast spouse and feral mancub. When not enjoying the great outdoors, Kristen enjoys knitting, coffee with friends, and spicy food.