Utah/Salt Lake City and women (living, moving, town)

[cleosmom]

Originally Posted by aimless35

Yes, in my experience. Utah is the seventh state I've lived in since adulthood , and this place definitely seems to place women second. It's not that it doesn't happen elsewhere, it does, but it is more prevalent here. A majority of women here still expect to be taken care of once they are married, as opposed to any of the many alternatives. And so many of them seem to just be marking time until they can get married. There's not a lot of encouragement for them to build careers or any interests outside of family.

I think you've hit the nail on the head by saying how much more prevalent it is in UT and ID as well.

I used to drive truck with my husband and we were delivering down in Ogden once. The business we were delivering to didn't ahve a loading dock, we hopped out of the truck, found an employee and husband asked him where we should park the truck to unload. The guy politiely directs my husband to the area he wanted him, I asked him politely if there was a restroom available to use and you would have thought I'd asked him to move a mountain range!

Other times when we went to other places in UT to deliver it was basically the same.

[thwrosdlton]

FYI: Self Magazine ranks SLC/Ogden area 37th healthiest for women but 4th for least happiest because of high number of suicides and depression.

http://www.self.com/livingwell/artic...20/hc_w_UT_sal

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=690635

http://www.deseretnews.com/dn/view/0...211510,00.html

[cslaughter1]

LOL! My husband would disagree with this statement. I am definitely not male-dominated. I've been a working mother, I have control of the finances, and I make a lot of the decisions in our household. I recently chose to stay at home with my children but again that was MY choice. My husband doesn't mind either way.

As far as the previous post about Boy Scouts in the LDS Church. The LDS Church has a program specifically for the females, they just happen to not have chosen the Girl scout organization. They have a girls program called Activity Days for girls 8-11 and then they have a Young Women's program for girls 12-18. The women also have a women's organization called the Relief Society. These programs teach and encourage girls and women to be self-sufficient and education is encouraged. BTW, there is a Girl Scout office not far from my neighborhood in Utah and I was a Girl Scout when I was was a girl.

I think too many people confuse Mormons with the polygamist groups and the Amish or something??? Me, dominated .... too funny!

[SergeantL]

Originally Posted by cslaughter1

The women [have an] organization called the Relief Society.

Well, the “cats out of the bag." Now everyone will know that the gals of the Relief Society are actually in charge of the Church. It was a lot more fun when everyone thought "we band of brothers" were running things.

[chazcrew]

SergeantL, I don't know about running things, but we gals sure do spend more time decorating! Two hours just this morning, denuding our homes to make the cultural hall look Christmasy. I'm beat, and we haven't even had the meeting yet. I bet you men have never strung a Christmas light for priesthood meeting, rofl!

[LlasaLost]

Originally Posted by aimless35

Yes, A majority of women here still expect to be taken care of once they are married, as opposed to any of the many alternatives. And so many of them seem to just be marking time until they can get married. There's not a lot of encouragement for them to build careers or any interests outside of family. Are you suggesting that taking care of a home and family is not "working"? Do you really think that a wife and/or mother do not contribute to society, that they're just sitting around being "taken care of"? Having been a homemaker and a bank executive, let me tell you that the most challenging of the two, by far, was being a homemaker! Also, do you believe that raising a family, and all that goes with it, is not an honorable profession? And why do you seem to automatically think that women who choose to stay at home have no other interests? The women I know who stay at home are also out there doing volunteer work (you know, all that stuff that most "career" women don't have time for) Just as an example - the Boy Scouts around here are heavily touted and there are troops associated with every LDS church. However my neighbor had a hard time finding a Girl Scout troup for her girls. Me thinks she didn't look too hard; I did a quick Google and found that the Girl Scouts seem to be alive and well in Ut It's not that there aren't girls around here - it's just that nobody is interested in teaching those girls to be the leaders of the future.

FYI, the girls in the "Mormon" Church has an equivalent (if not better) program to the Boy Scouts; it's called the Young Women's program and includes camping, survival, social and business skills, etc., etc., etc. Perhaps if you'd delve a little deeper you might not be so quick to make judgements?

[mountainfaith]

Good post Llasolost. Yeah, I chose to be a homemaker and feel it's a very honorable, high profession(calling). I know this is what the Lord wanted me to be and I couldn't imagine my life any other way. I feel it's such a blessing to treasure!

My hubby sure doesn't lord it over me either. We're a TEAM and we work thru things the best we can. I do try to be very supportive of all he does on the 'outside' job and anything he does to help our family at home as well. Also, I joke about the whole 'homemaker' myth, as if we're all sitting around eating bonbons & watching soaps all day. Who has time for that stuff anyway?

Anyway, there just aren't enough hours in the day for all the stuff we need to do around the house. Of course that's why I'm up late on many nights. Hey, I LOVED this one homemaker resume I saw a long time ago. I thought you'd enjoy this type of thing. This is my own wording example of it, cuz I can't remember their words, just the overall gist. There's still a lot that could be added, but these cover enough.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Current job position: Domestic Engineer

Experience: I've worked in a very demanding, but fulfilling job for many years. I've been a teacher, curriculum coordinator, nurse, guidance counselor, coach, referee, activities coordinator, chauffeur, maid, nanny, nutritionist, chef, janitor, accountant (budgeting, accounts payable & receivables, purchasing, etc.), meteorologist, salonist, consultant, computer tech, researcher, etc. etc.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

BTW, I've worked as Assistant Manager at a couple places long ago before having kids, and worked as an accounting clerk, & many other positions, etc. I definitely have a lot more demanding and time-consuming job as a homemaker. For me, it's a very important position that is so encompassing - covering so many other types of work all-in-one. To me, raising our children and caring for our home is a privilege that I can't thank God enough for.

I do believe wherever God puts a person tho', whether they choose to work 'outside' the home or 'inside' the home, we need to just do our best and work as if working for the Lord. That sure helps the whole homemaker or career path life. I've got friends in both groups. What a blessing they all are! And do to the 2 job position types, I try to remember to ask this question of women correctly when I meet them: Do you work inside or outside the home? That says it best.

On the girl scout issue, many areas have started great new groups called American Heritage Girls. It's growing very fast these days. Amen! So, there are more options out there for parents to choose from depending on the area you live in.

[book-um]

And they say Love makes the world go 'round. I guess it just becomes a tolerance issue. Patience is a virtue that must be grown, with less barefoot women feeling used.

Originally Posted by chazcrew

I haven't noticed women being treated badly in Utah, and as a woman, I figure I should know. And yet, others keep saying women are subservient, second-class citizens here, so I guess I'm just so brainwashed I don't even realize it. I'd better take my voter card, college degree, driver's license, and passport and hand them to my husband. I'm sure he knows what's best anyway. I am currently barefoot, but I'm not pregnant, so I'd better get right on that...

Oops. Sorry for the sarcasm. I'm a bit touchy on the subject. In all seriousness, you may find that the culture here is different from what you're used to. I don't know. I suspect you'll find a higher percentage of stay-at-home moms, fewer unmarried career women, etc. The culture does lean toward getting married, having kids, and staying home to raise them. But I don't see that as men dominating so much as women choosing what they want to do. In that sense, Utah is full of feminists!

One more thing: I am a sahm myself, and haven't worked outside the home since I had my first baby, so the corporate culture might very well be male-dominated without my being aware of it. But if that is the case, I suspect it's not all that different from other places. Men run the world, women run the men.

[mountainfaith]

Just saw your post about the sahm. That was precious, cuz it was heartfelt. And you hit the target with it being "our choice". So true!

IMHO, and probably like the rest of the sahm's here, I don't consider it a 'us vs. them' thing, not a 'sahm vs. outside workers'. But instead for all women it's an open, free-will choice between women and God's special path and plans for each woman & their own life. That's why we sahms can easily have friends who work outside the home as well as our sahm friends, too. And that's a blessing!

And as you explained honestly for any moving to Utah, that's the facts on the ground in Utah, so it is important to understand that part of the sahm culture of Utah as people are asking that. Thanks for being open about that and filling us in.

[Zonda]

Dear DC,
I have lived in the northeast my entire life and just bought a home in SLC and will be moving their in Feb.
I am a single woman with older children. I am moving to the west, hopefully to escape some of the sexism I have experience in the northest. I was employed as a firefighter and also worked for UPS for many years. I realize that these are male dominated career fields, but I was treated with ignorance and cruelty. I will always feel sad about the descrimination that I experienced. I think that sexism is alive an well everywhere..

Zonda