So there's this thing today about women wearing pants to church to show that they can dress nice without having to conform to dresses. This is a problem for some wards, not so for others and some members think it's ridiculous and unnecessary while others feel that speaking up through action is very much needed. And the animosity received by those who so much as voice support of the idea seems to lend credence to the notion that it may in fact be a much needed event.Our 11 year old, our youngest will be wearing pants, while my wife is wearing a skirt on purpose. She probably would've worn either or but since it's the day of the pants she will be showing her disdain for the event by wearing a skirt. I on the other hand am looking for something purple to wear because in lieu of a kilt the only thing men can do to show solidarity is to wear purple.
If you feel that because we have Relief Society for women in our church and we are in the 21st century we have plenty of equality between sexes I do understand your point but some would say that most separate but "equal" systems are anything but when you get right down to it.
And if you feel there is not enough equality between the sexes in the church or in Temple rites then I understand that point too and will support you in voicing your complaints so long as complaints or concerns are voiced respectfully.
The venomous comments and the toxicity in them that I have seen over such a simple issue as women wearing dress pants to church as a silent protest is needless, pointless and basically wrong-on both sides.
Some people are enraged that anyone would turn the church into a place of political or social protest but how much do you wanna bet those same people are the first to choose God Bless America as a hymn during sacrament or to wear American flag pins or flag styled clothing to church?
How is that not dragging politics into the house that is supposed to be solely used for the worship of the Lord?
Politics is either ok in church or it's not folks, you can't have it both ways.
Those that make that complaint though I feel are correct in that church should be our place to worship and really to escape from the outside world and into our as-close-as-we-can-get-to-Zion-community for at least one day out of the week. We escape our worries, our troubles, set aside our tasks and rest for one day to meditate on the spirit, to worship and praise the Lord joyfully.
But for some to be truly joyus they must feel that they have the freedom to be themselves and not locked into a centuries old construct of femininity that doesn't represent who they are, and maybe never did.
And we absolutley should dress up and put forth an effort for the Lord but I don't think he cares what we wear on our bodies as much as what we wear on our hearts. Wearing nice clothes may make you look acceptable to other but wearing love, compassion and understanding on your heart is what the Lord finds acceptable, I think that's what the scriptures mean when they say we must come to him with a broken heart and a contrite spirit. And saying you have to wear a dress to dress nicely is like saying that if a man is not wearing a tie he is not dressed appropriately.
Which seems silly, if you've ever seen fashion magazines with men in dress shirts and suit jackets with a button or two undone to look comfortable yet stylish, to say they aren't dressed nicely. Likewise to see a nice pair of dress slacks on a woman or a pants suit if clean is definitely nice attire.
Now again some may feel it's unnecessary but with so many women feeling that it is this truly speaks to a larger issue maybe many in our church aren't willing to address. Or maybe it's just people being people like with the gossip issue but like with the gossip issue this issue does need attention in our church and regardless of how things turned out in church today for you, the talk over this issue may have done the most good and done the good that wearing pants to church was meant to do-get people talking.
Because we can't resolve anything through inaction and silence; only by action and voicing our concerns can we affect any change much less a lasting one.
My point in all this was to explain both sides to each other and to show both sides that there are miles of common ground between these two sides. But though I see the points of both sides I also fully support those who choose to wear pants because I don't like the idea of anyone's concerns being dismissed or silenced simply because some think it's unnecessary or disrespectful.
I hope whichever side you stood on before you read this post you at least better understand the other side of the argument after having read this post.
