The group Ordain Women still hopes to convince leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that women should be allowed access to the Mormon priesthood.
During the LDS General Conference in April, members of Ordain Women tried to attend the Priesthood session in Temple Square. They were turned away and the group vowed not to stage a similar demonstration in Temple Square again. But now members of the group and their female supporters will ask their local bishops for access to the televised broadcast of the Priesthood session during October’s General Conference. April Young Bennett sits on the board of Ordain Women. She sees this plan as a way to open the movement to more women.
“Before we did it the last time we actually announced that this would be the last time we would go to temple square together,” says Bennett. “And the main reason for that is because it’s expensive. And because we have Ordain Women supporters all over the world who have wanted to participate, who have wanted to show their interest in the ordination of women, who haven’t been able to simply because of the expense of travel.”
Bennett is hopeful that women will be able to attend the sessions.
“We know that in past years there have been letters sent out to stake presidents saying that they should not try to stop women from attending the session,” says Bennett. “And so we hope that this time again they will honor that, and that if women come, interested in attending and participating reverently in the session, that they will be welcomed.”
LDS Church spokeswoman Jessica Moody said in a statement, “The Church encourages men and boys to attend the priesthood session and girls and women to attend the general women’s meeting. All are invited to the general sessions of conference.” Kate Kelly, the founder of Ordain Women, was excommunicated from the LDS Church in July and currently lives in Kenya with her husband.
