At Last She Said It

If you're going to start a women's podcast, you'd better come prepared with a thick skin. Social media is a big part of the At Last She Said It project. Amplifying women's voices, ideas, experiences and concerns requires interacting with a lot of women. In this episode, Cynthia and Susan respond to one specific social media comment that somehow pushed too many buttons to ignore. It's a perfect illustration of the kind of silencing that inspired the podcast to begin with.

Historian Shantel Gardner joins us for a conversation about the legendary Emma Smith. When Moroni prophesied that Joseph's name "should be both good and evil spoken of among all people," the angel may as well have been talking about Joseph's wife. Why have Latter-day Saints had a conflicted relationship with Emma through the years? Is that changing? In this episode, we dig a little deeper into the real and complex woman whose life continues to inspire a diversity of opinions in members of the church she helped create.

In this podcast, Cynthia and Susan discuss the importance of men understanding women's issues in the LDS Church, explore policy changes allowing women to serve as stake auditors, empower women in church leadership, delve into the historical autonomy of Relief Society, strive for gender equality, and address the impact of patriarchy on men and women within the church and society.

It can be terrifying to take the metaphorical lid off the box that holds everything you think you know about God. What do you do when you outgrow your old ideas? Can you trust the hopeful whisperings of your own heart if those whisperings also spark fear? In this bonus episode, Susan shares the journey that led her, as a Latter-day Saint woman, to reexamine and move beyond her previous answers in pursuit of questions that have expanded her faith.

What do we know, 2 seasons into this podcast? One thing seems certain—we're not the only women having the thoughts, feelings, ideas and experiences that inspired us to create the At Last She Said It project. More women are joining the conversation every day. In this bonus episode, Cynthia and Susan share some listeners' stories and feedback, and talk a bit about the road ahead.

In this podcast, the hosts discuss the ongoing lessons they're learning in following Jesus. They reflect on introspective musings, exploring discipleship and the baptismal covenant. The speakers delve into personal struggles with anxiety and depression, highlighting empathy and unity through suffering. They emphasize embracing imperfections with love and understanding, showcasing the transformative power of witnessing love through actions.

From the time we are young girls, women are socialized to keep a calm exterior. It's an unhealthy expectation, since we experience the full range of human emotion. In the Church and in the world, an angry man is perceived as being tough or powerful, but an angry woman earns a much less positive label. For Latter-day Saint women, meekness, niceness, and peace-keeping are valued traits. Being sad is okay, but being furious is not. In Episode 43, a guest shares her insights into the lack of space many women feel for the full expression of their emotions—even within themselves. Then Cynthia and Susan take a deep dive on women and anger.

Jeralee Renshaw joins Cynthia and Susan to discuss surviving and thriving through faith shifts. They explore the challenges of faith crisis, embracing uncertainty for growth, and the impact of sharing personal beliefs on the faith journey. The conversation emphasizes support, empathy, and the transformative power of difficult experiences.

What if there were a remedy that might counteract the difficulties and disappointments of being human, but you weren't quite sure how it worked, or how to get it? Many Latter-day Saints feel certain about the importance of obedience in their lives, but are less settled in their thinking about grace. Cynthia and Susan discuss how and why, for each of them, the idea of grace has come to be foundational to their faith, rather than incidental to it.

Exploring the concept of exact obedience in Latter-day Saint ideals, questioning its impact and complexities. Contrasting blind obedience with thoughtful compliance and discussing the transition to principle-based morality. Delving into the balance between following guidance and individual revelation, emphasizing spiritual growth and grace over perfection.