Introducing HeatherP
Hello there! My name is HeatherP and I’m coming out of semi-retirement to do a guest series here at fMh. Thanks to Lisa and the other goddesses for having me. I have a feminist Mormon blog, a personal blog, and I would like to give a shout out to these fabulous women. I am a recent library school graduate. I’m trying to figure out where in life to go from here. Now that I’m done with school, you’d think I’d have more time for blogging, but lately I’ve felt unmotivated. I live in Orem, Utah. Harry Potter and I share the same initials. I like to waste time at Blogthings, Go Fug Yourself, Homestar Runner, Television Without Pity, and on myspace. I like reading (natch), playing basketball, supporting local music, watching Gilmore Girls, and eating Lindt dark chocolate.
I am excited about this guest series - I’ll be posting on Women and Authority: Re-emerging Mormon Feminism. The plan is to cover one chapter every other week until we’re done. I’ll post a summary of the chapter and some discussion points and we’ll go from there. We’ll start next week with the Preface, Introduction, and Prologue (that’s a link to the full text, or it’s on pp. vii-xxxiii in the book). Read ahead now, or join the discussion next week. Okay? Okay!
Niiiiice!
I’ve wondered were you’ve been. This is a splendid thing. I look forward to this and will definately participate. There is so much wonderful and flawed that the discussion should be enlightening.
Comment by J. Stapley — May 3, 2006 @ 10:03 pm
Welcome back, HeatherP. I’ve been wondering when someone was going to notice that the full text of Women and Authority is now available online at the Signature site. This should be a great feature.
Comment by Dave — May 4, 2006 @ 11:34 am
I’m really looking forward to this, HeatherP–glad you’re back!
Comment by EmilyS — May 4, 2006 @ 11:52 am
Woo Hoo! This is me doing the happy dance!
We’re gettin’ ourselves a sheen of respectibility round these parts.
Comment by fMhLisa — May 4, 2006 @ 1:08 pm
Anyone that enjoys Gilmore girls can’t be too bad. I look forward to your posts.
Comment by jjohnsen — May 4, 2006 @ 3:19 pm
I have been LDS for a quarter century - half my life. LDS (Mormon) and Feminism are in direct conflict. Among the active in this Church, there are no feminists in the traditional sense……you know, women who act out a history of anger toward men for dominating them. Within the active and the endowed in the LDS Church the likelihood of divorce is much lower than any other Christian denomination. Likewise, endowed members are 100% married and per capita we are more likely to marry than any other Christian denomination. Research indicates that married endowed women are generally happier in their marriages than are Christian women anywhere else. Endowed LDS women are more likely to take on motherhood happily and not kill their babies. They are healthier also.
So, you can have your feminism and all you can take from others to feel ok.
Comment by stealtharachnid — May 4, 2006 @ 3:50 pm
Heather, add me to the list of those excited to see your return. I’m really looking forward to this discussion.
Comment by kris — May 4, 2006 @ 4:08 pm
Since when is the ‘traditional’ definition of feminists “women who act out a history of anger toward men for dominating them”? That’s not my understanding of it, nor is it the prevailing view here. In fact, the only people who seem to think that are people who don’t identify as feminists and see feminism and feminists as The Enemy. Perhaps you would like to reconsider your position before posting such inflamatory comments on a site that identifies as both faithful LDS and feminist and sees how the two are complementary, not in direct conflict.
Comment by Artemis — May 4, 2006 @ 4:11 pm
stealtharachnid, one I’m not sure where you get your statistics, but I don’t think things are as rosy as you think they are. Please correct me with references if I am mistaken. Moreover, I happen to be a faithful and devout Latter-day Saint and Feminist. Wow.
Comment by J. Stapley — May 4, 2006 @ 4:38 pm
Thanks, everyone. It’s great to be here.
For me, being feminist means simply that I believe that women and men are equal.
Comment by HeatherP — May 4, 2006 @ 4:49 pm
Heather - Welcome to the madhouse!! We’re thrilled you’re here!
Comment by Rebecca — May 4, 2006 @ 5:13 pm
Blogthings, Go Fug Yourself, Homestar, and My Space? Awesome! These are all on my favorites list. ^_^
I’ve also been reading the Women and Authority book online, and it’s very interesting. I’m still waiting for the last section to be completed, as I’ve read all the others.
Comment by Sister T — May 4, 2006 @ 7:00 pm
Hi,
I just read the prologue of the Women and Authority book online and it lead me to this blog. I don’t want to be rude to your little group, but I find this avenue of thought disturbing in the same way that a lot of Mormon films are disturbing. And I hope that nobody really looking for answers will take them as a “source” for truth.
Comment by Huh? — May 8, 2006 @ 8:19 am
Heather!!!!
I’m excited to get your thoughts on these things. If your initial introduction post can create such beautiful responses as “Likewise, endowed members are 100% married…” then I’m already giddy over what else you may bring.
Comment by Loyd — May 8, 2006 @ 4:33 pm
Well as for me, I’m looking forward to figuring out how this book is like ” The RM” or whatever #13 was referring to.
Comment by pjj — May 8, 2006 @ 6:45 pm
Sister T, I noticed too that the book was put up section by section. I believe it’s now complete - the last chapter in the print version of the book is chapter 19, by Betina Lindsey, and that’s now available.
I’m not sure either exactly what #13 means. I’ll just point out that the owners of this site have conceptualized it as a place where it’s safe to be feminist and faithful. For me, that means I define what feminism means to me and what effect that has on how I see the world, while accepting and living the gospel of Jesus Christ.
And for everyone’s information, I hope to have the first post up tomorrow night.
Comment by HeatherP — May 9, 2006 @ 12:23 am
D. Michael Quinn’s chapter doesn’t seem to be available online.
Comment by Justin — May 10, 2006 @ 10:28 am
Thanks for pointing that out, Justin. I hadn’t noticed. I’ll contact Signature Books about it.
Comment by HeatherP — May 10, 2006 @ 4:20 pm
HeatherP
I’ll have Mike Quinn’s article up by June 1. I’m having trouble with the text for this chapter for some reason. Also, Mike used a few graphs in his footnotes that might not … ever… make it on-line. I havn’t had the time to solve that problem.
Happy reading!
Tom
Signature
P.S. I would love to have people advise me of any problems or errors in the text. If your interested in any Q and A with Maxine, I can set that up.
Comment by Tom — May 10, 2006 @ 4:49 pm
Tom, thanks for stopping by and letting us know! I didn’t even have to email you to ask about it. We won’t be getting around to that chapter for a while anyway.
The thought had crossed my mind that a Q&A post with Maxine might be good.
Comment by HeatherP — May 11, 2006 @ 1:19 am
Heather
Great! I can be contacted at tom@signaturebooks.com (sorry in advance for the spam filter) I’ve already spoken with Maxine and she would be willing if your interested. I know some of the other authors as well and would be happy to ask them if there is an interest. for example I’m a co-book review editor for the Journal of Mormon History with Linda Wilcox (DeSimone).
Tom Kimball
Signature Books’ marketing nerd
Comment by Tom — May 11, 2006 @ 10:39 am
Website’s author’s email on the site:
http://christiandivorce.1hwy.com/index.html
Human rights within the Christian marriage
Comment by jhamilton — August 15, 2006 @ 12:09 pm
Where I see my comments have been Googled, I am inclined to remark, even at this late date for the record. To align with feminism as a movement does not prepare a woman for marriage as God ordained it. It is the equivalent to going to the nightclub with your particular lady friends and ordering a Shirley Temple because you want to be seen as one with that world. As a faithful LDS we want to avoid all appearances of evil. Now if you still do not understand my point of view, then I must apologize to the greater feminist within you.
Comment by Stealtharachnid — January 25, 2008 @ 3:51 pm
Hi I am a faithful LDS woman and here is my thing. I dont need to be equal to a man as that implies im lesser and I am not as being a woman dosent make me lesser or better. I strive to be better as myself as a woman. I do not seek to be in competion with the Brethern.
Ive heard this saying before. “The Priesthood could meet in a broom closet but the relief society has its own room”. I have found that to be true. I also belive in the existence of “Heavenly Mother”.
I do not wish to be in competion with the brethern but seek to learn from the Priest hood. I also learn from other LDS sisters and learn from all of us.
I also belive in the concept of “free will” and am a Historian of both LDS History and general history.
Comment by Lynn — April 21, 2010 @ 2:28 am