Mormon women's identity: the experiences of Hong Kong Chinese Mormon women

Abstract

From a group of six people in 1830 to a worldwide congregation of about fourteen million members in 2012, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, commonly known as the Mormon Church in public and in media coverage, has grown from an insignificant religious group from New York to a globally recognized and organized religious group. The Church��s congregation consists of people from different gender, class, racial, ethnic, cultural, and national backgrounds. With this diversity among its members, the Church has to find ways to cope with multiple challenges.

Among all of the challenges facing Church leaders and members, one of the most prevalent topics of debate throughout the years concerns the status of Mormon women. Many of these debates run in tandem with issues associated with the various waves of feminist movements in the West. Mormon women have been seen as being oppressed by the patriarchal church organization. Many feminists, including feminists of Mormon faith, challenged such oppression and fought for their rights including the right to hold the priesthood and equal position in the Church organization. However, these voices are, for the most part, limited to Caucasian Mormon women.

Through analysis of interviews with Hong Kong Chinese Mormon women, this study recognizes previously unheard or marginalized voices that shed light on new aspects of these debates.