Feminists in the Bloggernaccle: How the internet is changing the way Mormon women talk about themselves

In this autoethnographic study I will explore the diverse views about female priesthood ordination within the LDS community. I also will discuss the role of the internet in initiating changes within the church. Currently in the Mormon community there has been a great deal of discussion about the role of women in the church, particularly regarding priesthood ordination and access to leadership positions. In this research I surveyed 150 church members and asked them a variety of questions about their views concerning the role of women, the processes of change within the church, and their participation in online discussions of this topic. I compounded my interviews with discourse analysis of several Mormon blogs and library research. I found that changes within the church and opinions about female ordination are influenced by the online discussions that take place on blogs. The changes evident in Mormon culture regarding women’s roles are reflective of the changing position of women within a broader social context