Margaret Merrill Toscano is one of the most prominent and controversial feminists in the LDS church. In this episode Margaret discusses her journey into both Mormon Studies and Mormon Feminism.
If you would like to express your gratitude to Margaret for doing this interview, please email your comments to me, and I will pass them on.
Great post. Thanks.
I listened to this podcast last night and it was a transformative experience for me. My only previous encounter with Margaret was listening to her remarks on the PBS documentary. To be honest, before this podcast I didn’t have the highest opinion of Margaret. I didn’t feel like there was a very Christlike tone behind a lot of her comments on the PBS show; I felt like she was bitter, whiney, and overly critical (get the irony?).
I am very thankful for this podcast because it presented a much deeper picture of Margaret than I saw on the PBS show. I appreciated her honesty in telling about her growing up years. Her struggles. Her imperfections. Her spiritual journey. I found myself identifying with her and feeling a common bond. I stopped looking at her as a bitter whiner and saw her as a sister that I cared about.
I was especially touched by her account of how the Book of Mormon transformed her life, guided her to a “Born Again” experience, and helped her feel God’s overwhelming love. I was struck by the almost identical parallels in my own experience, and now I feel a close kinship with Margaret because I feel like we’ve shared very similar experiences.
I don’t know any details about why Margaret received Church discipline, but I hope my sister Margaret can find a home in the Church in full fellowship and I for one will have wide open arms to receive her.
Another great interview with Margaret. Hearing other people’s stories, along with the recognition that each individual voice is important, is invaluable to me.
Until I listened to this interview today, I’ve never felt as though women were supposed to have the priesthood, or were lacking without the priesthood. But some little key was turned while she was speaking. It was as though something in my heart broke and a little door opened. Joseph was a prophet and we all know it. What happened, in the meantime, to the priesthood of women about which he taught? Did it just evaporate? Or do I have that potential, that power, inside my own self? I just realized that I do, and I have all along.
But it has to come through the true channels, with the real authority. I think I begin now my prayer, just as people prayed for many years for the 1978 priesthood revelation, I will pray for the restoration of my priesthood, and that of all women in the church. Imagine the spiritual power that will manifest itself on planet earth when all the millions of Mormon women receive and begin to exercise their priesthood.
If Joseph taught women about their priesthood in the 19th century, why has the idea been in the shadows for all this while in the years up to now? Was it waiting for us to be ready, to find our strength and our voices? Those early pioneer women were so powerful and free. They’re our sisters and our mothers. They’re us. Why have we stayed in the shadows for so long? It’s a puzzle to me.
This whole women series on MormonStories is amazing. I have learned so much from the interviews. Margaret’s has been very touching. I’ve listed to 1&2 and look forward to 3&4. Thanks to both of you.
I seem to remember that in one of President Hinckley’s interviews on Larry King, he was asked why women didn’t have the Priesthood. If memory serves me, the response was something to the effect that it has not been an issue for LDS women because they have the Relief Society. I believe he also said something to the effect of LDS women not wanting or asking for the Priesthood.
The Woman’s Forum that Margaret described struck me as something that might have resulted in a group of women eventually making such a request. I wonder if it will ever happen.