Hosts Cynthia Winward and Susan M. Hinckley introduce themselves, talk about why they feel a podcast aimed at amplifying women’s voices is needed, discuss the ways in which Mormon women’s lives are particularly complicated, and introduce topics for future episodes.

Episode Summary:

  • Talked about the reasons for starting this podcast.
    • Many wishful conversations of talking about or saying certain things at church. -Cynthia
    • Need for a “deconstruct conversation”. “I didn’t hear what I needed to hear and I wish that I had.” -Susan
  • “It is astonishing how much I find is common in women’s experiences across cultures, across ages, all kinds of experiences…I just see a common thread.” -Susan
  • Why is it so hard to be honest about certain gospel topics? The culture of the church is not one that lends itself to speaking freely on any number of things. We are attached to looking like we’re all doing this a certain way…in our Sunday best.
    • It feels very risky to bring up certain topics, to not be real or authentic at church.
  • Susan starts some RS lessons with the thought of “Here is why this was hard for me” or “Here’s what I struggle with, with this topic.” It gives people a way into the conversation where they don’t feel excluded from the very start.
    • This opens up space for all the women in the room to show up with their experiences and feelings.
    • Opening up myself has helped other women speak up as well.
  • “When it’s adults in the room, can we respect each other enough to talk like adults? Most people can handle complexity and nuance.” -Patrick Mason
  • A hope for this podcast is to be able to speak to each other as women. A desire for women to talk to each other about women, for women, designed to reach women.
  • Introduction of Susan and Cynthia
  • Men, educated or not, do not understand all the nuances of being a woman. Thus the need for this podcast!
  • In a family crisis, Cynthia’s husband’s needs were all met in every way and Cynthia’s were not. Her experience as a woman is completely different. Priesthood leaders often deal with men and women differently.
    • New studies are coming out about how men and women experience heart attacks differently. The differences in experiences are similar in the Church.
  • All of the things about a woman’s life are complicated. Every aspect.
  • Susan shares an essay she wrote about how things in her own life have been complicated.
    • “All you really need to know for the moment is that the universe is a lot more complicated than you might think. Even if you start from a position thinking it is pretty damn complicated in the first place.” -Douglas Adams.
    • Holding competing feelings is often what it is like to be a woman.
    • Women run nothing in the Church but seem to run everything in the world. We are in a patriarchal church. How do we deal with that complexity? Paradoxes are all around us.
    • It’s an interesting time to be a Mormon woman.
  • Susan and Cynthia are choosing to show up and hope for great things ahead.
  • Having the word ‘faith’ in the intro was important because all of the conversations are from two women who have seen the challenges, but are interested in the future and where things will go.