From
http://www.theofrak.com/2012/05/sexism-in-traditional-religion.htmlReligion has a bad track record with women's issues. From antiquated gender roles to outright misogyny, women have suffered greatly under traditional religion. And yet, paradoxically, women tend to be more devoutly religious than men.
This week, a group representing 80% of America's Catholic nuns is meeting in Washington to decide how to respond to the Vatican doctrinal assessment that accused the group of espousing "radical feminism" and focusing too much on social justice issues and not fighting against contraception, abortion and same sex marriage.
http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2012/05/29/nuns-at-odds-with-the-vatican/Too much social justice? We can't have that. And radical feminism, including radical ideas like allowing women to participate in the decision of when to have children? Oh the horror! Better to let men in funny hats make all of the important decisions for women.
Among "Christian" religions, the LDS church (Mormonism) has to be among the worst when it comes to sexist attitudes.
Mormon women have absolutely no power in the LDS church.
No woman can be a mission president, bishop, stake president, or general authority, or hold any ecclesiastical office with power over a man.
Mormon women cannot receive ecclesiastical forgiveness from other women. Only a man can grant forgiveness on behalf of God and "his" church.
All women's organizations in Mormonism are "auxiliaries" with no control over their own funding or selection of leaders.
Women can't organize or hold events (even women-only events) without the blessing of a male "priesthood" leader, who has to "preside" at the meeting.
Even a 12-year old deacon has more authority in the church than an Mormon woman.
Women have to swear oaths of obedience to their husbands in LDS temples (this was recently watered down so that a woman only has to swear to obey her husband as long as he is obeying God).
Women can't know the "new name" of her husband (in LDS temple rituals), but her her husband gets to know her "new name."
Women have to veil their faces during parts of the temple ritual, such as during prayer (consider the symbolism -- women can't approach God directly). Men do not wear veils.
Feminism is a dirty word in the LDS church. Boyd K. Packer, one of the Mormon Twelve Apostles, has indicated that the three biggest dangers to the church are "the gay-lesbian movement, the feminist movement ..., and the ever-present challenge from the so-called scholars or intellectuals."
Not surprisingly, the LDS Church strongly opposed the Equal Rights Amendment in the 70s.
Women can be excommunicated by a single man -- her bishop. A man who hold the "priesthood" (most men do) can only be excommunicated by a 12-member High Council court, where his interests are ostensibly represented by 6 of the High Council members.
In the 1990s, several prominent LDS feminists were excommunicated because they suggested that women could pray to a "heavenly mother." Incidentally, Mormons believe in a heavenly mother, they just don't like to talk about her because it makes them look "weird."
Women are taught that their primary role is motherhood. Work outside the home is discouraged.
Women (and men) are taught to not delay parenthood. On average, LDS women start having children much earlier than the national average. This causes many women to drop out of college and not compete their degrees.
Mormon women today are still brought up to believe that the most important thing they can do is "to marry the right person, in the right place, by the right authority."
Girls grow up believing that their virginity is what makes them worth marrying. They are told that "If you allow boys to touch it in forbidden ways...no good man will ever want to marry you." Young women are taught object lessons, such as the "licked cupcake" or "chewed gum," to show them how their value as a wife is destroyed if they explore their sexuality.
Mormon women are pressured on how to dress (modesty, no flip-flops in church) and what type of jewelry to wear (only one set of earrings). Women who marry Mormon leaders are held to an even higher standard. I know one wife of a general authority who wear a dress when going to the supermarket. The LDS Church has a strong "Stepford Wives" mentality.
Teenage girls are interviewed in private by Mormon bishops about their "chastity" and often asked questions about their sexual experiences.
Before 1980, women could not speak in regular Sunday "sacrament" meetings or in General Conference.
To this day, women are not supposed to give the opening prayer in sacrament meeting.
Women who wish to serve LDS missions must wait until they are 21. LDS men can serve at 19. Apparently, this is to give women a greater chance to fulfill their primary role -- marriage.
Although polygamy is not practiced openly in Mormonism, men can still be "sealed" (married) to more than one woman (as long as only one is currently alive). By contrast, LDS women can be sealed to only one husband, regardless of whether her former husband is dead. In the 19th and early 20th century, polygamy was the ultimate form of control over Mormon women. They had no leverage. If they displeased their husbands, they would simply be replaced with a more compliant woman. Polygamy is still a doctrine of the church, and many people believe that it will come back after the return of Jesus Christ. When I used to attend church, I heard many men joke about how they were looking forward to becoming polygamists when the doctrine was restored.
Susan Easton Black, BYU professor, summed up the attitude of the church in an address at Education Week, published in the BYU Daily Universe, entitled “Latter-day Saint women can make a difference” (the patronizing title was apparently lost on most BYU students). She said women stand out in history for three reasons: 1) being the mother of a famous person, 2) being the wife of an important person and 3) race (i.e., a woman of a different race can make a difference). So much for a non-racially diverse woman who isn't the wife or mother of a famous man.
The sad part is that many Mormon women do not believe they are being repressed in any way and report that they like all of the restrictions and having men make decisions for them. After all, men (their husbands, their bishops, etc.) speak for God.
I would be interested in hearing about how women are marginalized by religion - particularly Mormonism.