Why Education Matters

"Education within a pluralistic democratic society should help students to gain the content, attitudes, and skills needed to know reflectively, to care deeply, and to act thoughtfully." 


"Equity pedagogy creates an environment in which students can acquire, interrogate, and produce knowledge and envision new possibilities for the use of that knowledge for societal change."

-Banks and Banks, "Equity Pedagogy: An Essential Component of Multicultural Education"

answering my own questions

I didn't get as much response as I had hoped for this post, but at least people read it--and hopefully the questions I threw out there were helpful.  At the very least, they should have got us thinking more about the choices we make.  They've been helpful to me as they've been floating around in my head the past few days.  


Here are my answers:


Part I
Why do you think women are treated the way they are? 


Is it simply because of individuals?  Or is it more of a societal structural issue?


Both.  Individuals create structures, and in turn, structures shape individuals.      

Is it lack of education--for both males and females?  

Lack of education is one of the factors, but certainly not the only issue here.  And education doesn't always lead to correct behavior; for example, plenty of highly educated feminists perpetrate gender problems.  


Does a person need to be educated in order to not only understand basic gender issues and roles, but also to reach gender awareness?


Yes, but this education doesn't need to be extensive.  For example, a child growing up in American culture will definitely need some education besides what he/she sees in the media in order to "get" gender issues and roles, and to eventually reach gender awareness--but that education could be provided early on in life by parents who teach proper gender roles in their marriage.  


The challenge is getting parents to understand the importance of these roles--and as divorce rates, domestic violence stats, and pornography use continue to increase, it's obvious that more and more parents aren't understanding the basics themselves, so the cycle of false paradigms and confusion continues.  


An important question arises:  Where we will educate children if we don't educate them in the home?  Do public schools take on the problem?  This is one of the issues educators face, as they are told not to teach religious beliefs, yet they're expected to teach morals.  Somewhat problematic, no?   But that's another topic for another day.  

Is it because of androcentric cultures and traditions?  If so, could a society ever NOT be androcentric?


I don't know.   

Is sexism something inherent in Man? 


Absolutely not.  We learn false practices and beliefs; they aren't inherent in us.  



In Christianity, might we discover roots of the problem in the way society cycles between the "Eve" model and the "Mary" model of what it means to be Woman? (The one perspective meaning we are a condemned sex due to the Fall; the other perspective meaning we are a glorified, purified, elevated sex due to the Virgin Mary) 


This is a rhetorical question.   

Part II




Men, what do you do to create change?  What really makes conditions better for your girlfriends, wives, daughters, sisters, friends?  

Should you practice old-fashioned "chivalry" to show respect?  Or is it better not to practice "chivalry" because women are "just as capable" as men?


I'm amazed some women don't want men to be chivalrous.  Practicing chivalry does not imply women are less capable; chivalry implies that men understand the importance of respecting women--because they care about them--not because they look down on women. 


If a man practices chivalry condescendingly, that's a different issue.  But come on ladies, lets let men be gentlemen when they're doing it for the right reasons (which, in my experience, is almost always).  

Should you love your woman because of her gender traits that are inherently different than yours?  Or should you love her despite those gender differences? 


A man who realizes a woman literally completes him, that the two equal a whole--biologically, emotionally, intellectually, spiritually--will love his woman because of her gender traits.  Women's differences will not be mocked, put down, or seen as less valuable than male gender traits.  And vice versa!  Women need to be just as respectful of men's differences and needs.  

Should society focus on the differences between Man and Woman, or should society act as though no differences exist (based on the idea that when we publicly acknowledge differences between Male and Female, we discriminate against women)?


Because gender differences are key in defining a person's identity, we should not pretend they don't exist or try to get rid of them in our rhetoric.  Acknowledging gender differences is not equal to discrimination.  

What's your philosophy about porn?  Do you discourage porn as an oppressive force against women?  Or do you take the converse view that porn is a form of liberation and opportunity for women, and thus choose to actively promote porn?


Pornography oppresses women.  Although at first porn may appear a form of liberation for women, the effects of porn on women who participate in its making are always harmful to her perception of self and of her relationships and sexual partner(s).     

Do you boycott mainstream Hollywood movies that portray women as objects? Or, conversely, do you support those movies for the same reason mentioned above (because they provide a source of liberation for women)?


Boycott.  Movies that objectify women perpetuate gender inequality because they send men the wrong messages of female identity and also of how women should be treated.  They also send women incorrect messages, so we too being developing skewed perspectives of the self and of how we should behave to "attract" men.  


Women should boycott movies that portray MEN as objects--or as lazy baboons.  These portrayals frustrate me because:


1) They're wrong 
2) They're disrespectful to men (and if I expect a man to respect me, shouldn't I in turn respect him?  Common sense.) 
3) As I said in this post, raising boys who know how to be MEN becomes problematic when the media won't portray men in positive ways
4) When women watch incorrect portrayals, we tend to think of men as inherently lazy, unmotivated, unfaithful (or whatever other negative characteristic the movie/show portrays) and we start expecting that sort of behavior from the men in our lives.  Not healthy.  


My philosophy is this: We choose what we watch, and Hollywood caters to what we watch.  So if we want Hollywood to stop producing filth, we choose to stop watching filth.  I realize the unpopularity of my view--and yeah, I occasionally get made fun of or isolated for my beliefs about the media--but hey, I'd rather put up with that than be "half-way" about something.  


And it should be apparent now that gender is definitely not something I think we can be "half-way" about :)  

my alarm wakes me up to the sound of Anberlin every morning :)

I wanna break every clock
the hands of time could never move again

If this doesn't make your night, I don't know what will

A while ago I taught middle school students a lesson about metaphors and similes, then gave them an assignment to write a letter to someone and use metaphors/similes to describe that person.  

The students were so creative and funny!  I took pics of my favorite (as you can see, my flash is broken) and came across the pics tonight. Brings back great memories :)

Happy brand-new week

I had the opportunity to take a quick hike into Rock Canyon yesterday.  The little point-and-shoot camera I had didn't capture the beauty, but you can still tell that the colors were just stunning.  I love the rich shades of red and orange in the fall.

I'm savoring the last bit of warmth we'll have here for a while.  The temp was in the 60s today and I enjoyed a walk up to the temple and a nice view of the sunset over Provo.  It was fun watching families with their kids running around.  My favorite moment was when a little girl stuck her feet in one of the fountains--I was trying really hard not to laugh while her mom told her, "I don't think the fountain is for sticking your feet in."  Hey, I thought she had a good idea :)

It's going to be a great week!  I have one midterm left, classes and work of course, and some fun meetings/events to attend on campus. Senator Jospeh Lieberman is coming to speak at BYU in a forum on Tuesday; his address is entitled "Faith and the Public Square"--a topic that I'm especially interested in (is that obvious yet or...?)   :)

Elise has a band concert and Ariel has a women's chorus concert, and there's a symposium I'm planning to attend this weekend that should be really good.

I'm hoping to get back to yoga this week--I've barely been able to attend this semester due to injuries, but it's been a good lesson in patience.  And you've gotta have patience before you can be a real yogini, right?!

My roommates and I are getting excited for Halloween and we're looking forward to carving pumpkins and making our Halloween costumes!!  I'm pretty excited because we're doing a theme together this year.   And apparently our church group will be having a Halloween dance--YESSSS!

I hope everyone has a beautiful week.  Lets all enjoy the lovely weather, shall we?!

haiku

after my midterms
it looked like a tornado
blew through my bedroom.

Why does God send his dispensations through men in the Mormon religion?

My uncle, in response to this post, asked an important question: "Why does God send his dispensations through men in the Mormon religion?"

***Disclaimer: Before I answer this question I want to make a clarification: This post was not a reflection of my feelings about women in the LDS church.  The post refers to oppression of women I see all over  society--in many of our structures and institutions--but because I do not believe women in the LDS church are oppressed, the LDS church is not considered to be one of those structures or institutions.  My uncle, however, brought up a very relevant question!  And he is right: The LDS church is patriarchal.  However, while many patriarchal institutions ARE oppressive,  just because an institution is patriarchal does not automatically mean it is oppressive.  For this reason, I believe we must look at each institution individually and carefully evaluate the experiences of women in that institution.***

Now to the question.

Why does God send his dispensations through men in the Mormon religion? The reason men are the administrators of the LDS church is because men may hold the Priesthood and women may not.  Because the Priesthood is necessary in order to run the Church, only male priesthood holders may do so.  


This inevitably leads to the question: Why don't women hold the Priesthood?

I don't know. There has been plenty of speculation among church members (i.e., some claim that it is because men have the responsibility of the Priesthood while women have the responsibility of child-bearing), but we must remember there is no validity in these assumptions(!) because there has been no revelation given to the church about why women don't hold the Priesthood. Therefore, the church has no official church doctrine that answers the question of why women don't hold the priesthood--and I think it's wrong for people to make assumptions when we don't have the answer from God.  Right now all we know is that God has not given women the Priesthood.  This is not because God sees women as a lesser sex.  It is men's right and responsibility, and we accept that.  Because our church is led by a living prophet, I do not know what will happen in the future.  Will God reveal more answers?  I don't know.  Might women ever hold the Priesthood?  I don't know.  

People have left the LDS church in anger over the issue of women and the Priesthood, and of course, many feminists don't understand why women would want to be members of a patriarchal church.   However, there are plenty of feminists who find liberation and peace in the LDS church, claiming to gain more understanding of their sex through the gospel of Jesus Christ.  One of my favorite professors falls under this category, and we love to talk about feminism and theology (you might be interested in reading a great piece by her here).  We feel God's love for us and feel satisfied and happy in the LDS church.  We believe in asking questions, but also in being okay with the fact that we don't know everything at this time.

Personally, I love the fact that the male sex holds the Priesthood--I have no desire to hold the Priesthood because I feel content and at peace with my role in the gospel.  I feel at peace with my faith.  Of course, I know this is not an intellectual answer--and it can be very unsatisfying for those who are trying to find answers.  If I ever find more answers, Uncle George, I will let you know :)

One place I can lead you to is official church doctrine about the Priesthood.  This might answer a few questions you may have, although it does not address the issue of women and the Priesthood.  The following comes directly from our "Gospel Principles" manual:

What Is the Priesthood? 

The priesthood is the eternal power and authority of God. Through the priesthood He created and governs the heavens and the earth. By this power the universe is kept in perfect order.

Our Heavenly Father delegates His priesthood power to worthy male members of the Church. The priesthood enables them to act in God’s name for the salvation of the human family. Through it they can be authorized to preach the gospel, administer the ordinances of salvation, and govern God’s kingdom on earth.

Why Do We Need the Priesthood on the Earth?

We must have priesthood authority to act in the name of God when performing the sacred ordinances of the gospel, such as baptism, confirmation, administration of the sacrament, and temple marriage. If a man does not have the priesthood, even though he may be sincere, the Lord will not recognize ordinances he performs (see Matthew 7:21–23). These important ordinances must be performed on the earth by men holding the priesthood.

Men need the priesthood to preside in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and to direct the work of the Church in all parts of the world. When Christ lived on the earth, He chose His Apostles and ordained them so that they could lead His Church. He gave them the power and authority of the priesthood to act in His name. (See Mark 3:13–15; John 15:16.)

Another reason the priesthood is needed on the earth is so we can understand the will of the Lord and carry out His purposes. God reveals His will to His authorized priesthood representative on the earth, the prophet. The prophet, who is President of the Church, serves as the spokesman for God to all members of the Church and all people on the earth.

How Do Men Receive the Priesthood?

The Lord has prepared an orderly way for His priesthood to be given to His sons on the earth. A worthy male member of the Church receives the priesthood “by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof” (Articles of Faith 1:5).

This is the same way men received the priesthood long ago, even in the days of Moses: “And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron” (Hebrews 5:4). Aaron received the priesthood from Moses, his priesthood leader (see Exodus 28:1). Only those who hold the priesthood can ordain others, and they can do so only when authorized by those who hold the keys for that ordination.

Men cannot buy and sell the power and authority of the priesthood. Nor can they take this authority upon themselves. In the New Testament we read of a man named Simon who lived when Christ’s Apostles presided over the Church. Simon became converted and was baptized into the Church. Because he was a skillful magician, the people believed he had the power of God. But Simon did not have the priesthood, and he knew it.

Simon knew that the Apostles and the other priesthood leaders of the Church had the true power of God. He saw them use their priesthood to do the Lord’s work, and he wanted this power for himself. He offered to buy the priesthood. (See Acts 8:9–19.) But Peter, the chief Apostle, said, “Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money” (Acts 8:20).

How Do Men Properly Use the Priesthood?

The priesthood should be used to bless the lives of our Heavenly Father’s children here on earth. Priesthood holders should preside in love and kindness. They should not force their families and others to obey them. The Lord has told us that the power of the priesthood cannot be controlled except in righteousness (see D&C 121:36). When we try to use the priesthood to gain wealth or fame or for any other selfish purpose, “behold, the heavens withdraw themselves; the Spirit of the Lord is grieved; and when it is withdrawn, Amen to the priesthood or the authority of that man” (D&C 121:37).

When a man uses the priesthood “by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned” (D&C 121:41), he can do many wonderful things for his family and others. He can baptize, confirm, and administer the sacrament when authorized by those who hold the keys for those ordinances. He can bless the sick. He can give priesthood blessings to his family members to encourage and protect them when they have special needs. He can also help other families with these ordinances and blessings when asked to do so.

Men use priesthood authority to preside in the Church in such callings as branch president, bishop, quorum president, stake president, and mission president. Men and women who hold positions in the Church as officers and teachers work under the direction of priesthood leaders and under the guidance of the Holy Ghost.

Along with an understanding of our view of the Priesthood, it's important to realize that each of us--men and women--have agency.  Agency, the ability to make choices for oneself, is a significant concept to me as a woman in the LDS faith.  Women in our faith CHOOSE to be part of a patriarchal system--because this system works for us.  We find purpose and meaning in the LDS church and we choose to be here.  We are not forced into anything in the LDS faith.  Women, although we don't have the Priesthood, are entitled to receive revelation from God through the Holy Spirit.  Because we can receive revelation, we don't have to believe/accept what a priesthood leader says just because he said it.  Each of us should seek a witness from the Holy Spirit in order to know for ourselves if the message a priesthood leader shares is what God wants him to teach.  As women seek revelation to know what is true, we make choices that are meaningful to us and we thrive in a patriarchal system.  

Because women have equal access to revelation from God, we can--along with men--work in the church and enjoy its blessings, even without having the Priesthood. The question my uncle asked is very important and it has encouraged me to want to write what members of the LDS church believe about women, so plan on more posts from me that address women!  (Up next: Mother Eve)  

God bless :)  

if you are Man, you should read this. if you are Woman, you should read this.

I am Woman.  

I am intelligent.

I am capable.

I am sacred.

As a woman living in the 21st century, I look back in history at the "progress" that has been made for my sex and then wonder: Why is my sex still incredibly oppressed?  Woman is still largely patronized and viewed as less valuable than Man. Furthermore, Woman is still objectified and prostituted--physically, sexually, and emotionally abused.

WHY?

I love some good feminist theories (who doesn't?), but I'm not looking for those perspectives right now.  I want perspectives from the men in my life.  Why do you think women are treated the way they are? 

A few questions you might consider:

Is it simply because of individuals?  Or is it more of a societal structural issue?

Is it lack of education--for both males and females?  (We also might ask: Does a person need to be educated in order to not only understand basic gender issues and roles, but also to reach gender awareness?)

Is it because of androcentric cultures and traditions?  If so, could a society ever NOT be androcentric?

Is sexism something inherent in Man?

In Christianity, might we discover roots of the problem in the way in which society cycles between the "Eve" model and the "Mary" model of what it means to be Woman? (The one perspective meaning we are a condemned sex due to the Fall; the other perspective meaning we are a glorified, purified, elevated sex due to the Virgin Mary)

After you've considered WHY, I have another question for you: Men, what do you do to create change?  What really makes conditions better for your girlfriends, wives, daughters, sisters, friends?  

Some questions to consider:

Should you practice old-fashioned "chivalry" to show respect?  Or is it better not to practice "chivalry" because women are "just as capable" as men?

Should you love your woman because of her gender traits that are inherently different than yours?  Or should you love her despite those gender differences?

To go further with that^ question, we might ask: Should society focus on the differences between Man and Woman, or should society act as though no differences exist (based on the idea that when we publicly acknowledge differences between Male and Female, we discriminate against women)?

What's your philosophy about porn?  Do you discourage porn as an oppressive force against women?  Or do you take the converse view that porn is a form of liberation and opportunity for women, and thus choose to actively promote porn?

Do you boycott mainstream hollywood movies that portray women as objects? Or, conversely, do you support those movies for the same reason mentioned above (because they provide a source of liberation for women)?


Okay, that's all for now.

P.S. Although I specifically asked for thoughts from men, OF COURSE I'd love to hear thoughts from women as well :)

equanimity

equanimity |ˌēkwəˈnimitē; ˌekwə-|nounmental calmness, composure, and evenness of temper, esp. in a difficult situation 
synonyms:composurelevel-headednessself-possessionpresence of mindserenitytranquility poiseassuranceself-confidence

5 things I'm really happy about

1.  On Saturday I'm going to the Salt Lake City temple


2.  This weekend my family and some of my dear friends are coming into town


3.  Utah Opera is performing Beethoven's Fidelio and 1-I get to attend with friends and 2-student ticket price is only $10 (so you should join us!  you can buy tickets here)


4. BYU gave some students a grant to fly east and attend this conference at Princeton.  It will be my first time visiting Princeton!  I'll also get to go to NYC and spend a day there as well :)  FUN!


5. I love, love, LOVE the students I get to work with at Independence High School.  They make my day every day.

charity

At an early age, children who attend meetings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints learn a concept we all should learn: each of us is God's son or daughter.  Four-year-olds sit in "primary" (Sunday school for children ages 4-11) and sing the words to a hymn entitled “I am a Child of God.”

I am a child of God,

And he has sent me here…

I am a child of God,

And so my needs are great…

I am a child of God.

Rich blessings are in store…

I am a child of God.

His promises are sure…

Children learn from a young age that each of us is God’s child.  And because each is God’s child, we are all brothers and sisters.  So we are all destined to return to the Father and live with Him together as a family.  Can you imagine that?  All of us together—and not just for a while, but for ETERNITY. For forever. 

Somewhere between my four-year-old self and my twenty-year-old self I forgot to consistently remember and consider this Truth I learned in primary.  So lately, as I've meditated on this teaching and as I've really made an effort to think about my life in terms of this concept, I feel things quickly change as I shape up.  The fogginess around my paradigm lifts a little as I learn to see people not as objects, but as people.  And when I see people as people, I see them as God's children.  And when I see God's children as God's children, I see them as my very own brothers and sisters.  

And then I want to listen.

I want to forgive.  

I want to accept.  

I want to celebrate the beautiful individuals who make up humanity.

I want to love. 

I believe that having charity, the pure love of Christ, is the beginning of coming to understand Christ and His mission.  


"Charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.  Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ, that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure" (Moroni 7:47-48)

annie henrie

I love her art.  Check it out here. 

why sex isn't enough

"Men and women can accomplish marvelous things alone.  However, they are incomplete until united intellectually, emotionally, physically and most important, spiritually.  The world we live in has gone awry with its focus on the physical part of the male and female relationship.  If there is too much focus on the physical, the vital areas of intellectual, emotional, and spiritual union are not being placed in an environment where they can flourish and grow.  Our current society is so obsessed with 'making love' that they are not developing a complete relationship that would enable them to 'express love.'"

-Glenn L. Pace, "The Divine Nature and Destiny of Women"

thought flow.

I came across this journal entry from back in August.  It served as a good reminder for me--thought I'd share:

This morning I decided to take some time to do yoga and bring awareness to the connection between my body and spirit.  As I moved through my practice, little thoughts came across my mind and I was quite surprised.  These thoughts weren't typical thoughts that sometimes run through my head--you know, thoughts of my to-do list, complaints about pain in my body, worries about the future, negative feelings toward myself or others.  Instead, they were thoughts that I call Truths with a capital T.

These sort of Truths are the Truths you can count on because they aren't the false realities you make up in your head or the lies that pop culture has pounded into your brain over the years.  They're Truths from God; they're the Truths that keep us on track and help us remember who we are.  They help us really LIVE, not just go through rote motions each day.  These Truths from the Holy Spirit inspire peace, joy and love--which we read about in Galatians 5:22-23: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."


As these reminders of Truth came to me this morning, I decided I don't want to keep forgetting these important things.  I stopped my yoga practice, created a word doc on the computer, and started typing thoughts that came to my mind.  Before I knew it, I had written four pages of thoughts that just kept coming and coming.   This is what it means to be "inspired," and I've affectionately termed such an experience a "thought flow."

I'm going to do the thought flow thing more often.  We spend so much time in chaos and confusion that I really believe we need to take the time to listen to what God sends us.