Mormon Apostle Russell M. Nelson wrote the following in the May 1999 edition of Ensign Magazine, a Mormon Church publication. He was talking about the priesthood session that took place in the prior General Conference... "Tonight I am attending with a son, sons-in-law, and grandsons. Where are their mothers? Gathered in the kitchen of our home! What are they doing? Making large batches of homemade doughnuts! And when we return home, we will feast on those doughnuts. While we enjoy them, these mothers, sisters, and daughters will listen intently as each of us speaks of things he learned here tonight. It’s a nice family tradition, symbolic of the fact that everything we learn and do as priesthood bearers should bless our families."
Wow. I am really annoyed by this.
First of all, why is it that men should have a meeting that women must stay out of? Are they talking about super-secret things that women need to stay out of? Are women to stupid to "handle" the priesthood session?
It's blatant discrimination. If this happened in a company, there would be a lawsuit, but since it's a church and people must be obedient, nothing is said.
Now... what is up with the idea that these women are making doughnuts for these men while they are at this super-secret meeting they can't be a part of? What is wrong with this? Why don't women stand up and say something for crying out loud!
Doughnuts?
Why do these women make doughnuts from scratch and reward these jerks for keeping them out of their secret little meeting? What the HELL!?@#!?!!
Here are comments others have made about this same topic from the Recovery from Mormonism Short Topics page:
Maybe later, we'll honor them some more by having them do the dishes and bathe the kids. I love honoring women - it's a "tradition" in our home! -Idiot #2
If Nelson is so interested in sharing with the women what they learned, wouldn't it be better if the women could attend the priesthood session also then they all go home, make donuts together and enjoy each other's company over donuts and coffee (decaf, of course)? -an126
Even a clueless dope like Russell Nelson knows how silly and sexist this sounds. I know one thing for sure, if I was to utter those words, my wife would turn me into a permanent soprano and I'd be starring with either Motab or appearing on HBO. -activejackmormon
June 17, 2008 at 4:34 PM
Bwahaha!! I remember coming across this "doughnuts" talk. Sexist, indeed. My DH wrote a satire about the talk. Perhaps he'll be able to find it. In the meantime, I'm headed to the kitchen to whip up another batch of doughnuts. Yeah, right.
June 17, 2008 at 4:39 PM
Kalola, (pretty name by the way)
The talk is extremely sexist, but so is the entire organization. Someone mentioned on Recovery from Mormonism that you could read something really dirty between the lines in what he said...
My mind never went there until I read it.. now I laugh really hard every time I re-read this.
June 17, 2008 at 5:55 PM
Syd, I love you for being so outraged!!!!
June 17, 2008 at 5:57 PM
Truly Confused,
Outraged doesn't even begin to express my feelings on this... I don't think there is a word that exists to explain.
Why do women put up with this crap?!?!?!
June 17, 2008 at 6:46 PM
Syd,
I refrain from commenting but I've asked my wife to think of something to write so you can 'get' a female perspective on this issue.
I do however think that the comment 'clueless dope' hardly fits Nelson who as we know is hardly unintelligent.
Women have meetings too though...secret ones called RS and Family Home and Personal Enrichment...I'd like to know what goes on in there!! What husbands are they bitching about! giggle...sorry sarcasm not intended and thats being very stereotypical about our lovely sisters...
June 17, 2008 at 7:37 PM
Oh please, nicko, it's not even the same thing. In RS and Enrichment it's all about being better wives, mothers, and sisters in Zion (usually with a whopping heaping of guilt attached because we were never doing enough). Nothing more.
When I started finding out things about the church that I had never heard before, I would bring some of them up to my husband. Many of them he had heard. I asked him where, and usually it had been in some sort of priesthood meeting. So while the guys were chatting up the deep, doctrinal "meat", the women were home making the "doughnuts" to go with the milk, because maybe we were too dumb to get it.
I'd actually like to think that the bretheren know how smart the women of the church are, and know that if they started passing out more of the "meat" to the sisters in their meetings, the sisters will call B.S. quicker than the priesthood would.
June 17, 2008 at 10:56 PM
Sydney-We are so on the same page with taht one! Words do not describe the feelings I have about this one.
Nicko-Hmm, well, if a man didn't always preside over women's meetings that would be a good comparision. But men can go to any meeting they want as the P-hood persence and women cannot.
And I personally hate how many mormon women bag on their husbands. It is pathetic and wrong.
June 19, 2008 at 10:55 AM
Truly Confused,
You took the words right out of my mouth...
Nicko, women cannot attend priesthood meetings, but men CAN attend relief society meetings. There is no equality in that. None.
I think it would be amazing if the women started kicking the men out of the meetings... could you imagine? "If we can't come to your meetings, you can't come to ours!" That would be so awesome.
June 19, 2008 at 7:18 PM
Lol WHAT? I can attend Relief Society lessons!!! WOW...I better start attending then.
You know thats not entirely true. Men don't attend General RS conference anymore than Women attend General PH conference.
I do see some women turning up to General PH though. I don't see an issue with it though. MY wife came to a few PH sessions in general conference with me a whilst back because she wanted to see a talk or two (we get it by video here). Noone told her to get out or anything. So I find your comments quite limiting.
July 1, 2008 at 1:40 AM
Andee, it is totally sexist. We agree. Let me throw another guy's point of view here as a counterpoint to Nicko's. Cooking is a LOT more fun than General Priesthood. I would rather bake cow pies that go to GP and listen to those wrinkled bastards in overpriced suits. It is sexist and I am jones'n for a donut.