A Mormon (Feminist!) Image: Self Reliance
Growing up the end of summer and the beginning of fall always meant long afternoons filled with home canning. My father would travel to Utah from the small Wyoming town we lived in to purchase fresh fruit and vegetables we were not able to grow in our own garden. Each day after school my siblings and I would fill the kitchen at our assigned station to help my mother prepare and process the assortment of food. Jar after jar of yummy food lined the shelves of our cold storage room (known to us as the fruit room), the fruits of all our hard labor. In the long months of winter (and at other times of need), we would be sent to the fruit room to get a jar of peaches, pears, cherries, or any other item needed for that day’s meals. It was just assumed that the shelves would always be filled with something good to eat.
Fast forward a number of years to this past summer. My husband and I purchased our first home and, for the first time since moving out of my parents home, there was going to be enough space to begin our own food storage. I decided the first thing I wanted to try (besides items from the local LDS dry pack cannery) was home canned peaches. I informed my mother I had given myself a pressure canner for my birthday and her remark was “Look at you getting all domestic.” I enlisted my sister’s help with the agreement that we would split the jars of peaches. We loaded her car with jars from my mother’s garage and, having purchased 2 bushels of peaches, my sister and set out to do something neither one of us had done before without my mother’s help. This picture represents my half of the finished product.
I realize that for some the accomplishment of this task is not all that amazing. For me it didn’t just represent my ability to begin following the counsel to have a year’s supply of food, but also my ability to be self reliant. Not only can I accomplish much as a woman in my career, but I can also accomplish much at home….and be secure knowing I have the ability to provide for myself and my family.
Submitted by Darcy
This photograph is part of our ongoing series highlighting images from our readers lives. Comments to the post are encouraged. In addition we invite you to submit your own images to the Mormon Image series. Rules and instructions, including submissions guidelines, can be found here.
Beautiful peaches, Darcy.
Comment by Lorian — November 9, 2009 @ 2:10 pm
Those are gorgeous. I have a convert’s question. How do you serve them? Do you just put the peaches in a bowl as a side at lunch or dinner? Do you make them into pies, or serve them over ice cream? Are they primarily for desserts, or just for eating or what?
Comment by Tatiana — November 9, 2009 @ 2:47 pm
I’m very impressed and have wanted to try canning for a while. You have reinspired this desire, maybe I’ll get it done this time. Thank-you for the beautiful picture.
Comment by Susan — November 9, 2009 @ 3:01 pm
Wow. Congratulations!
Comment by kew — November 9, 2009 @ 3:12 pm
Awesome! I’ve wanted to try canning for a while, but I don’t know where to start.
Comment by Keri Brooks — November 9, 2009 @ 3:26 pm
Love the pictures! I also love the memories you shared of growing up.
Comment by no name — November 9, 2009 @ 3:51 pm
Tatiana–yes to all of the above, although frozen or fresh peaches hold up a little better for pies, cobblers, etc. Growing up when we were sick one of our favorite things to eat was “whipped-up peaches”, more technically pureed peaches. Even when we weren’t sick we liked to puree the peaches and drink them like a peach nectar. They are also great over cottage cheese or just in a bowl. My sister and I did ours with a light syrup so they aren’t over whelmingly sweet.
Keri–where do you live? Not that I’m inviting you over to can, but if you are in the Greater Wasatch front area that might be a possibility. But the best way to get started is to decide what you want to can, ususally starting with something simple is best. Then contact your local State Agriculture Extension office. I believe every state has one through a state university. In Utah it is through Utah State University and each county has an extension office. They have a ton of info on the internet (just google your state and agriculture extension office) and most have free classes you can attend as well as lots of other info. They also are a great resource for gardening and such specific to the area you live in.
Comment by Darcy — November 9, 2009 @ 4:17 pm
One more great way to use the peaches…in a steaming bowl of oatmeal. Much better than the peaches and cream instant oatmeal stuff.
Comment by Darcy — November 9, 2009 @ 4:20 pm
Canned peaches are one of my favorite foods ever. This summer I set a goal to make our family a year’s supply of jam, and I did it (I hope). It was actually a lot of fun and it’s so nice to see all those jars on the shelf–I know it’s not an essential food or anything, but homemade jam is yummy and a nice treat with breakfast. Next year we hope to be in a bigger home (and with a dishwasher–helps in sterlizing jars) so I’m going to try more canning. I grew up in southern CA, but we canned every year because my mom also grew up on a farm in Wyoming
Comment by FoxyJ — November 9, 2009 @ 5:28 pm
Home canned peaches straight out of the jar are treat enough! Reminds me of my grandma.
Comment by Stephanie — November 9, 2009 @ 6:18 pm
Darcy, thanks for the heads-up. I’ll definitely give it a google search. (I’m in California.)
Comment by Keri Brooks — November 9, 2009 @ 6:46 pm
Canning is one of those things that overwhelms me. So I’m inspired by others who just do it.
Hats off to you.
Comment by m&m — November 9, 2009 @ 7:56 pm
yeah Darcy!!
Comment by lache — November 9, 2009 @ 9:57 pm
Keri - another way to get started is to find out who in your ward cans and invite yourself over. I’m always happy to teach anyone and/or work together to get my and their fruit done. It’s much nicer to talk and laugh with someone while you deal with hot stickiness than to be by yourself all day.
Comment by JES — November 9, 2009 @ 10:31 pm
Awesome image — very well done. Definitely a Mormon image.
(Is this Darcy from Exponent blog, or another Darcy?)
Comment by Kaimi — November 10, 2009 @ 1:58 am
Lovely peaches! It’s nice to know I’m not the only person that takes pictures of her canned fruit. I love it when you hear that little ‘ploink’ when each jar lid seals. Maybe I need to get out more. I’m canning apple butter today, and tomorrow I’ll be doing about 60 pints of salsa - yeah!
Comment by kimbobim — November 10, 2009 @ 11:55 am
Kaimi–a different Darcy.
I usually am just a lurker here on FMH but loved the idea of the images you and mfranti suggested we contribute. So I sent one in.
Kimbobim–you are much more ambitious than me. I took a picture because, well, I was quite pleased with myself and I knew my family would never believe my sister and I really pulled it off so I had to have proof. (okay, they would believe it, but still they turned out so pretty.)
Comment by Darcy — November 11, 2009 @ 7:50 pm
You put my canning to shame!
I also take pictures of my canning and of my garden every year! Glad I am not the only one doing it, my husband has always teased me about it, asking if he should get in the shot at all!
Comment by Travelin' Pants — November 12, 2009 @ 4:13 pm
Definately a mormon image of women in the kitchen.
Show these images to a non-mormon feminist and what would they think? Put a caption on it and do the same.
For all the feel good posted about this picture I can say that the picture embodies mormon female enslavement.
Mormon feminism isn’t feminism. It is an apologetic watered down version that will never result in any changes to the LDS Church. FMH to date has no successes except for excommunications. FMH is even a joke within the Judean People’s Front and its many splinter groups.
Comment by ...... — November 14, 2009 @ 9:36 am
I love your peaches, Darcy! Well done. My problem right now is storage space. But next year I’m totally doing peaches- please be around in case I have questions!
Comment by crazywomancreek — November 14, 2009 @ 10:03 am
A picture of mormon enslavement. Pseudo FMH feminist.
Comment by ...... — November 14, 2009 @ 10:06 am
….dude,
why do you feel the need to say such mean things towards our guest poster and her hard work ?
I know that’s not that’s not really how you feel about her canning in real life. In fact, in real life, you’d be thrilled to eat those peaches along with fMhlisa’s homemade cream.
I bet how you act of fMH isn’t really how you are in person. You are probably in your late 20’s/ Mid 30’s with a decent job. Maybe even a family.
But all of your comments here say a lot about who you are down deep. it speaks of the insecurities you have about yourself. It also says that you haven’t quite grown into adulthood because confident adults do not make repeated drive by insults just so they have something to snicker at.
I mean, you might as well say, LOOK AT ME! PAY ATTENTION TO ME!!!!!
i’m sorry that you lack confidence. if you’d like, you can write me a post on it and submit it to fMh and we can hash out all the different ways you might seek remedy. You might even feel loved and part of our community as a result.
Until then, if you feel the need to insult someone’s picture or words, you can use mine. i am particularly vulnerable because I too suffer from a lack of confidence–in other words, you’re guaranteed to make me cry
Comment by mfranti — November 14, 2009 @ 11:51 am
mfranti ~ I’m not trying to back up Mr./Ms. ellipses there, but I have to say, this feminist image series has confused me a bit as well. With nearly every image that’s been posted, I’ve sort of blinked and said, “What’s so feminist about that?” Summary of the images:
Image 1 - mfranti - Going to the temple. The temple strikes me as a mixed symbol for Mormon feminism. On the one hand, it’s a place where the subordination of women to men is rather explicitly taught (and no, I don’t want to hear the terribad apologetics claiming that the temple does not subordinate women. I’ve heard them before, and they suck). On the other hand, it’s the only place where women are allowed to perform ordinances. They dress in priestly clothing and are promised that they’ll be priestesses. So I guess that can be a Mormon feminist image, though it’s a problematic one.
Image 2 - JKS - Pregnancy. While it can be included as part of a feminist package of “choice,” it’s hardly a symbol of feminism on its own. Motherhood is regularly employed by the LDS church as a tool for justifying the exclusion of women from power.
Image 3 - Lacy Arnett-Mayberry - Woman sitting on a cliff. I think this can definitely be interpreted as a photographic symbol of feminism, so this one counts. (Then again, it could have negative interpretations as well. I guess that’s what makes it good photographic art.)
Image 4 - Natalie - Woman looking beautiful and confident as a symbol of “empowerment.” I guess. It could just as easily be a symbol of traditional gender roles.
Image 5 - Betty Jo - A mother cow with a baby cow. See my commentary on Image 2.
Image 6 - Darcy - Canned peaches for storage, the image marketed as “self-reliance.” Okay, but isn’t this still fairly traditional woman’s work? Wouldn’t a non-feminist Mormon woman be just as likely to engage in such an activity?
Image 7 - Name not given - Called a “feminist moment,” depicts a woman looking at a monument and realizing her pioneer heritage. Okay… but what’s so feminist about that? Wouldn’t a non-feminist woman be just as likely to have such a moment?
Image 8 - Reese Dixon - An image of a mother with her son labeled “power.” See my commentary on Image 2.
Image 9 - G - This one can probably count. I think that for women to pursue interests and hobbies which expand their horizons and allow them to express themselves can definitely be a feminist value.
Image 10 - kew - I like this one, and I especially like the story that goes with it. I definitely believe this can be a feminist symbol.
I’m posting this with much fear and trepidation. I love fMh and I enjoy the comments here, and I’ve defended some of these photos from the more obvious trolls. I don’t want my friends here to think I don’t like their photos. But this series has often left me scratching my head. That’s feminism? How?
Earlier this year, I came across an evangelical blog called “Radical Womanhood.” Wow, radical womanhood, sounds like some kind of feminist/egalitarian blog, right? Wrong. The tagline declares, “Because being biblical in a modern world is a radical act.” The site’s author is a complementarian (i.e. evangelical male headship advocate). Apparently patriarchy can’t be marketed on its own merits anymore, so male headship advocates are forced to wrap it up in prettier, feminist-sounding packaging and try to be sneaky with it.
So, you tell me: are these images of feminism? Or are these images of “radical womanhood”? Are you pushing women into new territory or are you just advocating traditional gender roles under prettier-sounding names such as “self-reliance” and “power”?
I am eager to hear your thoughts.
Comment by Bridget Jack Meyers — November 14, 2009 @ 2:32 pm
Or . . . did you decide to do a series on Mormon Feminist images and are posting every picture that was submitted that represents what an array of FMHers feel being a “Mormon Feminist” means to them? Which means that you won’t choose to reject submissions that are not “feminist enough”? (which, BTW, I agree with)
Comment by Stephanie — November 14, 2009 @ 2:57 pm
Could be, Stephanie.
But if most of the photos depict women engaged in traditional gender tasks, maybe Mr./Ms. Ellipses is right. Maybe fMh’s readership isn’t all that feminist.
Comment by Bridget Jack Meyers — November 14, 2009 @ 3:02 pm
I think this photo series depicts how feminism is actually practiced day to day. Taking feminism away from theory and scholarship and witnessing it on the ground.
Most of the readership, including me, spend their days engaged in activities that happen to fit in traditional gender roles. “Housewives” is just as much a part of our mission statement as is being mormon or feminist, so most of the ways we practice our feminism fall within fairly traditional spheres.
I feel like I’ve been talking so much feminist theory lately, but here I go again. Each one of these images, taken together with their commentary, falls squarely within 3rd wave feminism. 3rd wave says there is not one correct way to be a feminist, but that I get to choose what I feel empowered by. 3rd wave embraces motherhood as legitimate. 3rd wave recognizes the contributions of our female ancestors and values the handmade.
I have loads of feminist cred, and I posted a picture of me and my son, because as I wrote, I find nurturing him to be way more personally empowering than the years I spent working at a Mergers and Acquisition firm, my political activism, or, probably because of his disability, even my education.
Pregnancy and motherhood are absolutely feminist, if they are freely chosen and approached with that intent. It’s about celebrating the power of a female body, embracing what has traditionally been shameful and carnal as a means of life. Using my brains and my talent to shape a young life.
I’m interested to hear what you would consider a feminist image. Leading a rally? Sitting in an office? We would totally post those if someone sent it in, but if there is ANYTHING that is consistent about the message of Feminist Mormon Housewives, it’s that there is no one way to be a feminist. I can belong to a patriarchal church, and hold feminist philosophies, and fulfill a role that is traditionally tied to gender, and none of those activities cancel the other out. Every one of these images negotiate that balance. They are about where individual women find their power.
Oh Jack, I hope you know how dearly I love you, but you hit a big fat nerve with that last comment. All you have to do to be a feminist is want equality for women. There is no feminist-approved way to practice that equality, and no feminist-approved way to feel powerful.
Comment by Reese Dixon — November 14, 2009 @ 4:20 pm
re: 26. “There is no feminist-approved way to practice that equality, and no feminist-approved way to feel powerful.”
Reese. what you said.
To me, Feminism is WE get to be the “DECIDERS” about where we choose to lay our hearts and minds on this Earthly realm.
It is enormously liberating to feel no compulsion to meet someone else’s notion of what success “should” mean. Maybe that’s why it was called “Woman’s Lib”.
Comment by Betty Jo — November 14, 2009 @ 6:22 pm
#26 Reese ~ I am so sorry that my comment hit a nerve. I tried hard to word it in the friendliest manner possible, but apparently I failed. Please accept my apologies.
Reese, I don’t claim to be an expert on feminism. Never taken a class on it and most of my studying and reading has been limited to the works of Christian egalitarians, so it’s entirely possible that the misunderstanding here is mine.
However, last year I had an interesting conversation along these lines with a very well-studied feminist gentleman on another discussion forum. This was shortly after Sarah Palin was announced as the VP pick, and there was a picture of her circling the web which showed her, sitting at a table with Trig Palin, wearing a business suit. Trig Palin was in one arm and her PDA was in the other hand. I said that I thought that the picture was a good expression of what feminism is: a sharp woman running for one of the most powerful offices in the country balancing both her career and her family.
He questioned that. “You think Sarah Palin is a feminist?” I said sure. He asked why, and I pretty much gave the answer that you did: she wants equality between the sexes, therefore she’s a feminist. He said no, that’s not a feminist.
One thing led to another, and we got down to his definition of a feminist. A feminist is someone who is actively involved in advocating for the equality of the sexes and social justice for women, he said. It isn’t about having a career or an education or having children or running for office or any of the above. It’s about believing that men and women are equal and doing something to correct things when they aren’t being treated as equal. A woman can be the CEO of a huge corporation and not be a feminist while the housewife who canvasses for equal pay for women is a feminist.
I agree that there is no one correct way to be a feminist, but I definitely think there are some incorrect expressions of it. I had an e-mail exchange a few months ago with a friend who was formerly a mission president in Africa—he was rather bluntly trying to proselyte me. I mentioned that I don’t have any interest in belonging to a church that doesn’t treat men and women as equals. He said, “I belong to a Church that treats ‘women as equals’. Men and women are different. That doesn’t mean that they are not equal.” His expression of equality is for men to carry on the work of the church while women carry on the equally important task of bearing and raising children. Is he a feminist?
Anyways, bottom line, I understand that “housewives” is part of the name of the blog. But I don’t see “housewife” as an actual expression of feminism anymore than I see “CEO” or “lawyer” as expressions of feminism. Saying “I’m a housewife and I’m empowered and I’m equal” doesn’t make anyone a feminist. When you all say you are feminist housewives, I assume you are involved in feminist causes or activities in other ways in spite of having traditional occupations. That’s what I would love to hear about (or see in pictures).
Comment by Bridget Jack Meyers — November 14, 2009 @ 6:30 pm
Jack, I see feminism as doing things which empower and inspire women to stand up and claim their own equality and their own lives. That might include political activism or it might not. Empowerment can come in many forms.
I must say, though, that I do not find Sarah Palin’s life, work or message particularly empowering, as a woman. You might. I don’t.
I see where you’re going with the idea of patriarchy sneaking in the backdoor by claiming that certain behaviors (childrearing, cooking, etc.) are intrinsically MORE “empowering” to women than other activities (usually the excuse given is that because our bodies CAN bear children, this is the source of our “feminist power” and we should use it with all our might). But an idea of feminism which elevates other activities (work, art, self-realization) to a status HIGHER than childbearing, breastfeeing, canning, or other “traditional feminine pursuits) denies women the choice of deciding what activities are personally empowering to them.
Comment by Lorian — November 14, 2009 @ 6:57 pm
Jack, you have everlasting leeway with me, so we are totally good. It wasn’t your sincere question that bothered, but the followup statement about not being terribly feminist. But I know you to be a sincere and curious person, so I will think of it no more.
I would totally agree with your feminist friend. Absolutely. But I think small actions count. Using my voice when someone makes a sexist comment, setting an example of an educated woman, teaching the teenagers at church how to be Mormon without buying into limitations, creating an egalitarian marriage, raising my son to value and respect women.
I agree with you while there is no one right way to be a feminist, there are certainly a few wrong ones. I’m always bagging on the Pussycat Dolls who claim to be feminist role models because they are sexually empowered, and yet don’t seem to see that selling your body is not terribly feminist, and I’d agree that the church is not feminist, even if they recognize raising children as having equal importance, because the *access* isn’t equal.
One of the main criticisms of modern feminism is that it’s not active enough. There aren’t really movements to participate in beyond being a responsible voter and working to help women in the 3rd world - like we do here through Kiva loans.
Modern feminism is about the individual. It’s about an individual approach to your path in life. So if you were a feminist lawyer, you’d bring feminist philosophies to the cases you took on, you’d present yourself in a certain manner to your colleagues, etc. So we housewives bring feminist philosophies to our job - canning as an effort at self-reliance and environmentalism instead of just buying out of season peaches, appreciating the power in a female body creating life and food instead of believing in being the weaker sex, recognizing our influence as mothers and using it to create a better world.
I agree, it’s not that being a housewife is an expression of feminism, rather, these photos show how we are trying to bring our feminism into our work as housewives.
Comment by Reese Dixon — November 14, 2009 @ 7:00 pm
Interesting, the conversation on the picture submission. I sent a picture in and really went back and forth on the photo because it isn’t technically anything I consider feminist, but then I looked at the title of the the series “Mormon (feminist) image”, which means you can either send in something that is a Mormon image, a feminist image, or a combo of the two. I figure most of these are more Mormom more than feminism. Now that I think about it though, feminism has much to do with being a woman and all of these pictures count for that too!
I love this picture because canning can be incredibly empowering. The first time I did it and looked at all my jars lined up on the counter I thought “I did that! I accomplished something that I never thought I could” Canning is not easy the first time.. or even the second time, but it is incredibly satisfying to stand back and look at something that took hours to do and did not involve poo or snot! To me, this totally counts as both Mormon and Feminism. Way to go Darcy!
Comment by Sunshine — November 14, 2009 @ 7:26 pm
I think Sunshine nailed it.
All of the photos fall into either the Mormon, feminist or housewife category. If it was strictly meant to be feminist Image, I suppose I would have titled it “A Feminist Image”.
I didn’t realize that you were expecting strictly feminist photos. If that’s the case, I’ll have to ask, what is a feminist photo in your book? And, given that we’re a Mormon blog with almost all of our regular commenters being LDS, why are you surprised that items like canning (Mormony for sure!) and mothering and Temple visits are among the entries? (My Temple pic is very Mormon, doncha think?)
Let me make this clear for our readers who question this series, the images can be Mormon (or feminist?) or even Housewife-y. It’s your choice as long as you explain why it’s important you you and it makes sense within the three categories.
Comment by mfranti — November 14, 2009 @ 8:19 pm
I had many of the same doubts about this series as Jack. But then, the pictures don’t have to be feminist. They can just be Mormon or housewife. So that clears it up.
This argument is always going to come back to the eternal fMh question. Can one be both (or either?) Mormon and a “housewife,” and also a feminist? Can a woman support the patriarchy and be a feminist? Can a woman uphold inequality between the sexes and be a feminist? Can a woman embody a “traditional” gender role and be a feminist? Can a woman in the LDS Church even be said to be defiantly “choosing” motherhood and kitchen duty, or is it a default position that she just coincidentally reaches in a roundabout way? We’ll go the rounds on this one until the world ends, I’m pretty sure.
Comment by Chandelle — November 15, 2009 @ 9:54 am
# 33
Can a woman be said to choose what she says she chooses? How patronizing is that? With feminisms like those, who needs patriarchy?
Comment by pat the destroyer — November 15, 2009 @ 12:29 pm
Jack, canning isn’t a particularly female thing in the LDS culture, as we see in the story where the author’s father and “siblings” assisted in the effort. And it’s all, like she said, about being providers. Isn’t allowing women to be providers a legitimate goal of feminism?
But more importantly, why would feminism even need to demean women’s accomplishments, even if those accomplishments are, in your cultural view, a traditional female activity?
Comment by Christian — November 15, 2009 @ 12:43 pm
jack, chandelle and anyone else who questions this series ,
If you would have read the instructions it would have cleared up any head scratching right away.
I’m sure that all of our images fit the above description very well
Comment by mfranti — November 15, 2009 @ 12:51 pm
Can a woman be said to choose what she says she chooses? How patronizing is that?
ptd, I hesitate to reply to your attack at all. I sure wish your comments were a little less hateful and more questions rather than statements of fact. I will just say that I definitely don’t mean to be patronizing. I think it’s really important to consider social programming and to question what “choices” of ours are really independent decisions. I ask myself that question all the time, completely divorced from feminist, Mormon, housewife issues. I don’t mean to be degrading to women’s choices in any arena. I don’t mean to judge anyone’s choices in a patronizing way. I just consider that an important question - whether our choices are really liberated or not, and whether it’s possible to even make a truly liberated choice since we don’t live in a societal/cultural/spiritual/physical/intellectual vacuum. (I doubt it. And I absolutely count myself in that estimation.)
Comment by Chandelle — November 15, 2009 @ 1:29 pm
Chandelle, I thought that you were just framing the issues, and restating Simone De Beauvoire’s hateful question since Jack brought up that issue. My problem is with De B, not with you. Thank you for still talking to me.
I am sorry that it came off like I thought you were patronizing. Can I say that de B is patronizing and still be a feminist?
Comment by pat the destroyer — November 15, 2009 @ 1:59 pm
I can’t help it…it keeps creeping into my mind that arguing over what is feminist is akin to arguing over who is a Christian.
Comment by Kimberly — November 15, 2009 @ 2:01 pm
It’s so important that we continue to debate what it means to be feminist. Maybe it’s ultimately worthless in terms of practical application, but it should mean something to be a feminist, and that means we must continue the conversation about what it means, how it’s defined, its repercussions, and so forth. If de Beauvoir is patronizing or maybe just anachronistic in feminism, that’s an important point to make. Of course it would be comfortable for all of us to have a bottom-line definition, but that almost never happens in terms of ideology.
Comment by Chandelle — November 15, 2009 @ 2:37 pm
Good point. If you define it too tightly and shut us out, mormon feminism can still be analogous to feminism, like same sex marriage is to marriage.
Comment by pat the destroyer — November 15, 2009 @ 4:05 pm
I’ve been surprised and interested by the images chosen. They definitely reflect a housewife slant, which surprises me. I don’t think the general feminist population would yet include motherhood on a feminist resume. I think they should.
canned peaches=good
Comment by britt — November 15, 2009 @ 5:12 pm
Britt,
are you surprised that the pictures have a housewife slant? (not an attack. i’m trying to get a feel for what you and others are thinking)
Comment by mfranti — November 15, 2009 @ 5:37 pm
britt #42 -
I don’t know why they wouldn’t, britt. Many (probably most) (female) feminists are also mothers. As to your implication that motherhood and housewifery are interchangable terms, I think that’s where the issue lies. It is very possible to be a mother without being a housewife, and vice versa.
Comment by Lorian — November 15, 2009 @ 6:01 pm
Who knew canned peaches could generate such a feminist conversation.
The interesting thing is that part of why I submitted this picture and story is exactly what Sunshine said in #31. This was very empowering to me for a few reasons. One is that I had never done it on my own…I had always been assisting my mother or grandmother. Accomplishing anything for the first time successfully is very empowering, regardless of the task. Another is that a normal day for me is going to work and assisting others to over come the challenges/difficulties in their lives that are limiting their independence. I love what I do and I wouldn’t give up my career for anything (at this point in time, keeping in mind I have not had to yet make the decision regarding being a sahm or not). And even with my career and advanced degree–some of the greatest things I get satisfaction from have a lot more to do with being mormon and traditional gender roles in part because it allows me to serve others–especially my family. Interestingly, whether others agree or not, someone I identify with the feminist movement was Eleanor Roosevelt and from a lot of what I’ve read about her she did a lot to serve human kind and to better conditions for all…not just women.
Comment by Darcy — November 15, 2009 @ 10:02 pm
#29 Lorian ~ I don’t know if feminism can be meaningfully defined as “empowerment.” It’s such a vague and subjective concept. I have several female friends here at TEDS who are complementarians—sharp, strong, intelligent women—and they claim that complementarianism empowers them. Why? Because submitting to God’s design for them (as defined by complementarianism) is the only true empowerment to be had. So can complementarianism be an expression of feminism? Who decides what “empowerment” is really empowering?
My feelings on Sarah Palin are complex and I don’t really want to get into them lest I derail the thread further. I think the fact that I saw her as an empowering figure (at least at the time) and you apparently never did just goes to show how subjective the concept of empowerment can be.
I’m not just looking for political activism; social and religious activism count as well. I’ve always been unsure about defining myself as a “feminist” because most of my own activism is limited to the religious sphere. I have very little involvement in social and political feminist activism beyond voting in certain ways when the opportunities arise.
#30 Reese ~ I’m sorry for being harsh in my comment #25. I typed it in a hurry as I was heading out of class and didn’t think it through carefully.
I agree that small things can count, although I would encourage men and women to push themselves beyond the small things, if only to make a bigger difference in the world.
#32 & #36 mfranti ~ You’re right, I should have read the instructions more carefully before expressing my concerns.
What’s a feminist image? If somebody asked me to submit an evangelical feminist image, I might submit:
~ A picture of my pastor (who is a woman) preaching on Sunday
~ A picture that shows both men and women administering communion or baptism
~ A picture of a woman being ordained
~ A picture of me reading to my daughter from the TNIV (a gender-inclusive translation of the Bible). This is one of those “small things” I implement in our household that Reese was talking about
~ A picture of one of my professors discipling women living in the persecuted church in Romania in the 1970s. I had a professor who talked about this last month and how the pastors there all thought their wives shouldn’t be learning theology because they’re supposed to stay home and cook and clean and raise children.
There are many other things that could qualify, especially depending on the story behind the image, but those are just some of the more obvious ones to me.
What’s a Mormon feminist image? I don’t know. I hesitate to define someone else’s tradition for them, and of course traditional gender roles can be a valid choice. It’s when Mormon feminism looks exactly like Mormon patriarchy in photos that I get concerned. Then again, you said that these aren’t necessarily supposed to be feminist images, so I guess you’re off the hook on that.
It’s also entirely possible that my view of what feminism is is much too narrow. I’m listening.
Other thoughts
~ I think both the questions of “what is a Christian” and “what is a feminist” are well worth debating.
~ I definitely believe Mormons can be feminists, especially if they’re working to change the LDS patriarchal system from within. Even if they have no complaints about the LDS system though, that doesn’t mean they can’t be doing good feminist work in other areas; it just might reflect a bit of cognitive dissonance on their part.
~ My deepest apologies go out to Darcy for stirring the pot on her thread. I was going to pose the question on mfranti’s thread, but then Ellipses jumped in and I decided to follow-up here.
Thanks everyone for hearing me out.
Comment by Bridget Jack Meyers — November 16, 2009 @ 10:03 am
Absolutely. I was merely noting that the argument ends up taking the same turn.
“Mormons are Christians…no they are not. SAHMs can be feminist…no they are not.”
These are very difficult debates, since ideologies don’t lend themselves much to debate.
Comment by Kimberly — November 16, 2009 @ 10:28 am
mfranti-I was just pleasantly surprised. It does fit with the title of the blog. I do find pregnancy, motherhood and canning-all ways in which woman can and do make a huge impact on society and the environment. It’s just that I do consider them traditional female roles. A woman can choose to do fill those roles wonderfully whether she choose it in the first place or was trapped their by culture-
Comment by britt — November 16, 2009 @ 11:04 am