No. As an LDS woman I have never in 33 years been made to feel I am less than a man in the eyes of my Father in Heaven. Women are actually encouraged to reach their greatest potential and the scriptures reiterate the belief that we are equal in value to men as daughters of God.

President Gordon B. Hinckley, president and prophet of the Church, put it best when he answered Mike Wallace's similar question, "We give the women in the church leadership assignments and then we get out of their way." Most of the men (priesthood holders) will say that the women are greater in the church because of their committment level and willingness to serve along with their responsibilities as wives and mothers in the home. I think we men have married way above us.

I just thought of something to add to this. It is a little poem that I came across some years ago. I don't know who wrote it, but I think it quite applicable to this question. Woman was created from the rib of man. She was not created from his head to be above him Nor was she created from his foot to be trampled by him She was taken from his side to be his equal, From beneath his arm to be protected by him, From near his heart to be loved by him.

Some fast facts: If you visit Salt Lake City, you will find that the closest building to the Temple entrance is the Relief Society Building. The Relief Society of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the oldest women's organization in the world. That's right, a secretary working for the Relief Society is closer to the Temple than the office of the Prophet. While the women's organization has its own large, multiple-story building, there is no "Priesthood Building." The highest level of Heaven can't be reached by a man alone, but only by a couple. If a couple who was sealed in the Temple gets a civil divorce, only the former wife can file for a cancellation of that sealing (and the blessings which go with it) -- a man who no longer wants to be sealed to his ex-wife can only be freed from her if she agrees, even if the divorce was a result of her cheating.

Women are kept eternally pregnant on earth and beyond. "The Mormon position on women has changed little since the early 1800's, when the official view was that "woman's primary place is in the home, where she is to rear children and abide by the righteous counsel of her husband" (McConkie 844). This attitude, coupled with the doctrine of polygamy and the absolute power claimed by the men of the church, created a legacy of profound sexism which modern Mormonism has been unable to escape. At age twelve, boys become members of the Aaronic, or lesser priesthood, and at nineteen become eligible for the Melchezedek, or higher priesthood. Members of either priesthood are higher authorities on everything than are non-members. Women are, of course, excluded from the priesthood. This practice in effect says that a woman's prepubescent son is more qualified to advise her than she is to advise him. The official explanation is that women are kept from having the priesthood because women are more spiritual than men, therefore, men need to have the priesthood to teach them how to be better people (Johnson 86). Women are also told that, because they have the all- important ability to bear children, men need the power of the priesthood merely to remain equal with them. "Celestial" marriage, as this eternal marriage is often called, is essential for Mormon women. Without being celestially married to a holder of the priesthood, a woman cannot be "saved" (Green 154). Mary Ettie Smith, a Mormon woman who left the church and Utah in 1856, said that "women do not amount to much in themselves," and that women in those times were often celestially married to men they had no intention of ever living with, so that they could have a man who would be able to get them into heaven In the temple marriage ceremony, women are given secret names known only to their husbands, for identification purposes, so their husbands can pull them through to "the other side" after death (Laake 118). During the marriage ceremony, until 1990, men made their temple covenants directly to God, while the women had to make their temple covenants to their husbands (Laake 328). After death, while their husbands are creating and ruling over planets, the women have the questionable honor of bearing his "spirit children" for eternity Because all women must be married to go to the highest level of heaven, the pressure to conform to the expectations of men is incredible. If a man was not content with his wife, Brigham Young "recommended...that he take a plural wife or two -- since this was a sure cure for a shrewish and recalcitrant female" (Fife 101). After a civil divorce, a woman's temple recommend is rescinded (Laake 193). In other words, she is considered unworthy to enter the temple, until she can prove to the heads of the church that the divorce was not caused by adultery. This is done by describing one's sexual activities very exactly in a series of letters to the male church authorities (Laake 194). Believers must submit to this humiliating rule in order to avoid spending eternity with their ex- husbands, because they must be able to enter the temple to obtain a "cancellation of sealing" (Laake 210). Twenty-one year old Mormon men returning from missions are told they should be married within six months (Laake 51). Mormons, and particularly Mormon girls, are commanded to remain completely chaste until marriage. Girls grow up believing that their virginity is what makes them worth marrying (Laake 195), and they are told that "If you sully your body by allowing boys to touch it in forbidden ways...no good man will ever want to marry you" (Johnson 74). According to Mormon Doctrine, "Loss of virtue is too great a price to pay even for the preservation of one's life--better dead clean, than alive unclean" (McConkie 124). In order to enter the temple for the all-important marriage ceremony, Mormons must undergo a rigorous interview by their bishops about the intimate details of their sexual history to ensure their purity (Laake 86). Mormon colleges today have dress codes for women which forbid shorts, short skirts, and other articles of clothing that could possibly incite a young man's lust." http://www.exmormon.org/mormwomn.htm

Mormon women don't call their husbands to heaven in their belief, the men call the wives. Can women be leaders in the church other that relief society areas? Has there ever been a woman in the Seventy, the 12 or a President? Could women have more than one husband? I have lived in Utah for 53 years and was a member. I know that not all mormon women are treated badly, but the fact is that as far as the church is concerned you are of less worth than a man. This is an addition to the original answer: I am not saying that Mormons have no respect for women, in fact they are an absolute nessesity for child birth. Bob answer the question if you are going to post a rating. Has there ever been a woman member of the seventy? A church president? Maybe a Bishop or Counselor?

never! god sees all men AND women equal... why do you think that? maybe because that the church focuses on the family and the role of the womna is to start one... never saying that a woman cant have a career but families are forever and thenfore that is the most important

I think the previous person who wrote about women's role in childbirth hit the nail on the head. Women do something powerful and spiritual that men don't have something "equal" to. THIS IS THE BIRTH OF SEXISM. Not just sexism within the Mormon faith, not just about the "priesthood", but all throughout including excluding women from positions in the Catholic church and really all forms of sexism. All forms of sexism stem from the fact that women give birth and some men, sexist men, feel inferior to women for that. So, they create artificial roles and ways to make men feel "special" and "important" which comes across as male superiority. We will change society much quicker if we equate sexism with feelings of male inferiority, vs. equating it with male superiority. We peel off the mask, so to speak, and reveal these men. This isn't an attack on all men, as I don't believe all men are like this. But sexist men have womb envy and they seek to make men and women different creatures. The more men and women seem the same, the more this one main difference stands out.

I was raised as a mormon (LDS) and no we do not believe that women are less than men in the eyes of god, we are equalls to one another ! And we are always encouraged to be the best we can be, not better not worse than anyone else

I can't even tell you anything about Mormon beliefs but I can tell you about my personal experience. I lived in St. Johns, AZ and saw polygamists all around me. The countenence of the Mormon women is pathetic. They look downcast and subservient and their clothing is shapeless and uncomfortable looking; however, young girls are seen dressed in attractive clothing. The men appear strict, humorless, severe and boring. I saw pairs of two young males everywhere going from house to house to recruit new Mormons and they appear very robotic in their mannerisms and identical dark suits with little name tags. I trust my intuition, and whenever I am around Mormons I feel oppressed spiritually even if they don't speak to me. Every time I have travelled through Salt Lake City I had the feeling as if I were in a place where I was viewed as worthless except as a child bearer. I cannot even stand being in the entire state of Utah, Arizona, parts of Idaho, and Nevada because I feel such a strong spiritual oppression. It feels very dark and full of drudgery. Mormon males appear to be very power hungry and they are vampirizing the females. If you are a woman and you want to know what Mormons believe about women, simply go where Mormons are and carefully observe how they make you feel by just being around them. Trust your intuition because it is part of the reason why these patriarchal religions want to oppress women. We are very powerful, and the forces that rule this earth do not want our influence.

Not at all. - The roles men and women fulfill are often different, but we were meant by God to work together in equal partnership. - Roles can be equal without being identical.

Who told you "Mormon women live lives of drudgery."? And why did you believe it without checking? - Or perhaps you have us confused with one or more of the reorganized sects or apostate communities. - I have known thousands of LDS (Mormon) women. The handful who were living lives of drudgery were doing so for reasons having nothing to do with the Church. - "Roles can be equal without being identical." The statement assumes nothing and is not vague. Since you had trouble with that, I'll rephrase it. "Let us take two roles which are not identical. Can they still be equal? YES!" If you can't believe that, then tell me, which is more important to you? Your heart or your lungs? Two entirely different roles. But try getting along without either. The roles of LDS men and women are not identical. Men and women are nontheless equally important in our eyes, and in God's eyes.

OK sungazer: - Your heart and your lungs fulfill drastically different roles in your body. Both are equally critical to your survival. - Your Doctor and your Mechanic fill different roles in your world. Is one really less necessary than the other for life as we know it. - A man cannot bear children. A woman cannot father them. Both are equally essential to having a child. - Enough?

I think more often than not, the attitude is more like: 'The reason God made woman last of all was that He saved His very best til the very last'. Does that answer your Q?

Yes, that's the reason why they have to practice polygamy. They have to marry many women to make up one in the eyes of their god

No, Mormons believe that man and woman are saved together in Christ, not separately as individuals.

Are you kidding? The LDS Church would fall apart if it wasn't for our women. We men know better than to even to think such a thing. And God knew exactly what He was doing when He designed women. He knew we needed a lot of help. If the truth were known, the women could do everything a man does in the Church, and still do their jobs just as effectively and not even break a sweat. But try to reverse that situation. Most men could not even began to do what a woman does in the home and in the church and be as effective as they are. Just trying to raise the kids would drive most men up a wall by the time the kids were 3. No my friend we believe our women are absolutely indespensible. Anyone who says different totally has no clue. whew6