Latter Day Struggles 387: Mission Eligibility Age Dropped to 18 for LDS Young Women: A Conversation with Dr. Julie Hanks
Join Valerie and therapist colleague Dr. Julie Hanks in this recording of a recent “Instagram Live” where they explored the recent breaking news from LDS Newsroom decreasing the eligibility age from 19 to 18 for young women interested in serving full-time missions.
In this conversation Val and Julie tackle possible as variety of topics, including short term and long term social, cultural, and mental health drawbacks and benefits that might follow this policy change. They also address how skyrocketing attrition rates from women in patriarchal churches worldwide (and within the LDS church) might be connected to this shift in policy.
Don’t miss this riveting discussion that continues to correlate the connection between psychological health and gender equality—a topic that these two heritage Latter-day Saint therapists have committed a great deal of their careers to highlighting for the benefits of the LDS Church and all connected to it.
Timestamps:
00:00 – Introduction and Guest Introduction
01:29 – Implications of Mission Age Change
02:27 – Gender Roles and Patriarchy
03:30 – Strategic Motivations and Retention
04:51 – Personal Reflections on Mission Experiences
06:04 – Missions as Catalysts for Change
08:45 – Concerns About Early Marriage and Education
10:00 – Generational Differences and Faith Journeys
12:23 – Temple Access for Young Women
13:30 – Women Leaving Organized Religion
14:09 – Challenges and Opportunities for Church Evolution
16:00 – Paradox of Devotion and Faith Crisis
19:16 – Balancing Individuality and Community in Faith
20:30 – The Church’s Developmental Stage
22:21 – Potential for Organizational Change
24:00 – Normalizing Women’s Leadership
31:50 – Impact of Mission Age on Family Life
32:17 – Egalitarian Structure in the Church
33:32 – Women’s Leadership and Identity
35:30 – Birth Rate and Missionary Integration
37:00 – Economic Realities and Family Planning
39:39 – Mental Health Concerns for Young Missionaries
40:24 – Pressure and Autonomy in Missionary Service
42:00 – Stigma and Social Ranking
45:23 – Patriarchy and Gender Roles in the Church
47:15 – The Cost of Conformity
49:54 – Encouragement for Individual Choices
51:00 – Redefining Spirituality and Autonomy
52:39 – Conclusion and Final Thoughts
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