Today’s Equality is not a Feeling post is a depiction of the number of General Conference speakers, by gender, from 1984-2013.
Four women spoke in April 1984, when I was 11. Not surprisingly, I don’t remember that at all (again, I was 11).
Between 1985-1988 (when I was 12-15), no women spoke in General Conference. Not one.
And then, when I was 15 1/2, a woman spoke in the October General Conference. I remember when Michaelene Grassli spoke in 1988. I don’t remember the content of the talk and I have no recollection of a conversation about how a woman was speaking, but I remember that she spoke. After that, we went a few years (1990-1993) bouncing back and forth between 1 and 2 female speakers (compared to approximately 38 males) in each conference. 2 women, 38 men.
I can’t help but wonder how that shaped my views of who has authority to speak in my church, of whose voices are worth listening to, and of whose experiences warrant inclusion in the most important meetings my church has.
[For more Equality is not a Feeling posts, see the archive here.]
What was the occasion in 1984, I wonder? And why was it not continued? I wonder if the powers that be didn’t like their talks.
Thanks again for this series. I appreciate how you’re putting all these differences out in stark terms. It’s depressing, but I think it’s a good thing to do, hopefully because it’s a first step in seeing things changed.
I have no idea what happened in 1984. I’d love to hear ideas/info from anyone who does.
The line is curious–nothing and then 4, then nothing again. And then two, for 20 years running. It makes me wonder: does it EVER come up, in a planning session: “So, why do we always have two female speakers?” or “Hey, how about let’s hear from some more sisters!”
April 1984: Exit speeches by Cannon and Smith and talks by newly sustained Winder and Kapp. From 7 to 11 minutes.
This could look a bit better if the church would include the General Women’s meeting as part of conference. I assume this figures include the Priesthood session?