Who Wears the Pants?

(Transferred from the blog Spirit Facet)

I was recently invited to a Facebook event titled: "Wear Pants to Church Day". As of today, the description for the event is as follows:

" LDS Women Unite: Wear pants to church in solidarity for women's equality. If you already wear pants to church (we're talking to you men!), we invite you to show your support by wearing a purple shirt, tie, socks, or ribbon, purple being a color historically associated with the suffrage movement. This is the first act of All Enlisted, a direct action group for Mormon women to advocate for equality within our faith. 

' "The Church has not attempted to indicate just how long women’s or girls’ dresses shoul

d be nor whether they should wear pant suits or other types of clothing." '--LDS Church Presidency (1971)

We are feminists. We do not seek to eradicate the differences between women and men, but we do want the LDS church to acknowledge the similarities. We believe that much of the cultural, structural, and even doctrinal inequality that persists in the LDS church today stems from the church's reliance on – and enforcement of – rigid gender roles that bear no relationship to reality.

We subscribe to the Book of Mormon teaching that ' “all are alike unto God,” ' and hope that our choice to wear pants to our Sunday worship services (a choice sanctioned by our spiritual leaders over 40 years ago!) reminds our families, congregations, and leaders that we have not forgotten this gospel truth."

The comments and their subsequent threads have been a fascinating.  I have decided to share the following on the event page:

First I will preface this with allowing the knowledge that I am not a member of the LDS church.  I was born and have lived most of my life in Salt Lake City.  My in-laws are all members of the LDS church.  My life has been saturated with the culture and beliefs of this religion.  Please take a moment to read what this inside outsider has to say on this subject.

I have seen that the idea of women coming to church in pants as a form of protest for equality  is causing quite a stir among many members.  My first thought is that it is gravely unfortunate that a members' choice of clothing should be of any importance to other members.  I have read several members cite that their reasoning is respect, or that a person should dress in a manner that they would like to present themselves to their Savior.  Personally I feel that the Lord would not pay any attention to the clothing worn by a person when they are in the Presence.  Clothing and fashions are from the material world.  We are born naked.  Adam and Eve were in the Garden with God, naked and unclothed until coerced by snake in a tree.  I believe that shows that God does not judge us based off of what we wear.  Only humans judge humans based on the superficial.

That said, what purpose does it then serve to dress nicely for service?  Many psychological studies have demonstrated that what we wear can affect our mood and perception of ourselves.  If we are wearing something that we set aside for something special, which is typically a very nice garment, we will perceive the event we are attending as special.  For this purpose, it is a universally accepted habit to wear special garments for ritual worship.  Preparing for ritual with special clothing is the beginning of preparation for the proper mental state for the forthcoming rite. 

Are weekly or daily church meetings sacred enough to dress in designated clothing?  For some it is, and for some it isn't.  Some people are comfortable worshiping in their every day clothes.  Others are more comfortable dressing in special clothing, or dressing in nicer clothes than every day wear.  This may depend on an individual, a congregation, and cultural influence.

When I was young, I had many friends that tried to bring me to church with them.  I remember one day, when I was 11, a girl  told me that I could still go to church and not have to wear a dress.  She had made the assumption that I didn't go to her church because of their perceived dress code.   I found this comment to be interesting.  While it appeared a kind sentiment that they would accept me as I was, I knew in my heart it wasn't true.  If I chose to attend regular meetings, it would only be a manner of time before women and girls would start to make their judgments of my choice of clothing known by seemingly polite comments.  "You would look so pretty in a dress!" 

A separation of dress for genders is nothing new in religious cultures.  Expectations for dress varies between religions and even congregations.   I have been denied entrance to a Buddhist temple because of my clothing.  They didn't allow me in with shorts.  I have been warmly welcomed to a different Buddhist temple wearing the same form of clothes.  This demonstrates that it is not the religion doing the judging, but the people.

There is a pressure in Utah LDS culture for women to present themselves in a certain manner, especially at their church houses.  The women who created this event, and who are attending, are demonstrating their awareness of this issue.  They are also expressing their concern for they ways men and women are treated differently in their church.  It is this aspect of the protest that I believe is bothering other members the most.

The LDS church has operated on a strict difference between men and women since its beginnings.  They have different roles, and are allowed different privileges.  This has been accepted for generations.  However, a slowly growing movement for equality has been making its way through the church, coinciding with the growing movement for equality in the secular world.  As women gained equality from our government, the gains eventually translated to further gains within their church culture. I believe we are witnessing the next step in the process.

I will now address the issue that appears to be the most divisive, and avoided, subject in the comment threads I have read.  That issue is the priesthood.  I would just like to share my experience with blessings.  The first time I ever experienced the power of a blessing I was  attending a Young Womens' camp.  One of the girls had a terribly painful migraine.  A man was called from the neighboring Young Mens' camp to come give a blessing.  Everyone stood in a circle around the girl while the man laid his hands over her and performed his blessing.  The power of Supreme Love was extreme and beautiful.

Since then, I have experienced this same essence many times in my life.  It may surprise some members of the LDS church that this experience came not only from the spiritual strength of men, but also of women.  I have attended religious rituals that were essentially the same set up as the first LDS blessing I experienced.  I have experienced Reiki and Wiccan blessings, which enact similar physical and spiritual manners.  These were sometimes performed by men, but more often my experiences have been done by women.   These moments shared the power of Supreme Love just as strongly and as real as the blessing done by the man in the LDS camp. 

Women are just as spiritually powerful as men.  Their spirits do not lack in anything from a man's spirit.  The light of God's love is within everyone and can be activated by anyone with pure love and intent.

I will finish with what I believe to be a stunningly beautiful testament to the equality of the soul, regardless of gender, which is reflected by clothing. 

The practitioners of Islam are well known for the women being required to dress in an extremely modest manner.  The extremities of this vary from culture to culture.  Women commonly cover up their heads as a sign of respect.  (As an aside: some Muslim women protest this cultural symbol of respect, the head scarf, by not wearing it; just like these LDS women will be protesting the wearing of dresses or skirts by wearing pants) There is a moment in a Muslim's life when this gender enforced modestly is pushed aside.   It is the duty of every devout Muslim to perform the Hajj at least once in their lifetime.  This is the pilgrimage to Mecca performed during the last month of the year.  During this pilgrimage everyone wears a white robe.  Men, and most women, shave their heads. No one can judge if you are rich or poor, and the physical differences between man and woman become faint.  This is to humbly demonstrate that we are equal in the eyes of God.  Millions of people attend the Hajj in unison yearly.  It is a wonderful testament of ultimate spiritual equality.

The LDS church is an ever-unfolding church that has its growing pains just as any other church.  It is not up to me to dictate what should happen in their religion.  I just wanted to write this in order to illuminate some perceptions and hope that the reader can take away something positive from what may have been gleaned.