Recently I wrote and published an editorial in The Salt Lake Tribune called “In Utah, a woman’s choice can often be an illusion.” I read and comment on this piece during this episode. So much of this relates to how we are socialized more generally, and particularly in the Church. I believe you'll appreciate what I'm trying to teach here. Of course, I would also appreciate hearing from you at unleashingsistersaints@gmail.com!

I really appreciated the writings of Melissa Wei-Tsing Inouye, as she was such a powerful women scholar and writer in the Church. A few months before her passing, I read her final book, titled “Sacred Struggle: Seeking Christ on the Path of Most Resistance.” I was profoundly impacted by the book and Melissa’s vulnerability in her writing. I never met her personally but read her work on women and religion. She passed away in April of 2024 at 44 years of age. When I read hard copies of books, I highlight them and have an assistant type them up, so I have 12 pages of notes! I thought I would share some of the passages I really appreciate.

Link to Melissa's book.

This is the fourth and final episode in a series I’ve been doing to share the key findings of a large 2023 study called The Girls’ Index. The first focused on confidence and social media, the second on stress and well-being, and the third on school. Now, in this final episode focuses on the topic of leadership and relationships.

As a reminder, The Girls’ Index, the largest study of its kind, shared compelling data on girls in the United States, with 17,502 girls in 5th through 12th grades participating from schools nationwide. Researchers collected data for the first time in 2017 and then again in 2023. The purpose of the study was to better understand girls’ thoughts, experiences, perceptions, beliefs, and behaviors so that parents, teachers, school counselors, faith-based youth leaders, neighbors, and others can figure out how to better provide support for girls and young women in today’s world. Listen in and learn!