Men in the Women's Meeting

[bobtheenchantedone]

http://theboard.byu.edu/questions/77391/

Yes, it's me possibly starting controversy again. However, I have a few things to correct/point out.

The women's meeting is, at this time, still kept separate from General Conference proper. Just fyi.

A man I know online went to Temple Square with his wife during the women's meeting and was asked to wait outside for her, so there's that I guess.

I would think MSJ knows better than I do, but from what I had heard there are absolutely no ovaries in the building during the priesthood session (and I know for a fact that at least once the female conductor of the men's chorus at BYU was not allowed to conduct the choir as they sang at that session). Apparently having a female around might be distracting, or so a woman who attended the priesthood session in the 90's said when explaining why she was the last women to be allowed to attend. And honestly I really hope that's the case (that they send out all the women for that session) because I think it would only look worse for the church if they do have female ushers/techies/what have you for the priesthood session despite refusing entrance to Ordain Women.

[Katya]

I would think MSJ knows better than I do, but from what I had heard there are absolutely no ovaries in the building during the priesthood session (and I know for a fact that at least once the female conductor of the men's chorus at BYU was not allowed to conduct the choir as they sang at that session). Apparently having a female around might be distracting, or so a woman who attended the priesthood session in the 90's said when explaining why she was the last women to be allowed to attend. And honestly I really hope that's the case (that they send out all the women for that session) because I think it would only look worse for the church if they do have female ushers/techies/what have you for the priesthood session despite refusing entrance to Ordain Women.

Yeah, I'd like to see confirmation on having female ushers in the session, because my understanding was also that they weren't allowed.

[No Dice]

from what I had heard there are absolutely no ovaries in the building during the priesthood session.

This doesn't appear to be correct.

Yeah, I'd like to see confirmation on having female ushers in the session, because my understanding was also that they weren't allowed.

This seem to be closer. Several (unsubstantiated and comment-based but consistent) internet sources agree that there are female ushers, but that they're only in the room before the session starts, after it ends, and during the intermediate hymn, apparently. I imagine the same is true of tech crew as well.

Sources:
http://networkedblogs.com/Pjc6Y (comment from "JG")
http://timesandseasons.org/index.php/20 ... versation/ (comment 28)
http://www.mormonmomma.com/index.php/20 ... cast-live/ (comment from Dave K; looks like the same guy from the T&S post)
http://timesandseasons.org/index.php/20 ... -we-knock/ (comment from Hedgehog)

Also, this time around, OW members were turned away by a Church spokeswoman. (I imagine she was standing outside the building to deny entrance, but I also imagine that she was inside at some point.)

[Marduk]

Also, this time around, OW members were turned away by a Church spokeswoman. (I imagine she was standing outside the building to deny entrance, but I also imagine that she was inside at some point.)

Only partially true. The spokeswoman (Kim Farah) came to deny entrance well after people had begun to be denied entrance, so the OW spokespeople and probably the first 50 or so were denied by male ushers. Also, she did not come from inside the building, and she left after all of the demonstrators were denied.

[Portia]

Tangentially related: #TIL that while women were indeed barred from acting in Shakespeare's day, not only could they act shortly thereafter, there are records of actresses in the 13th and 14th centuries, as well.

I guess I just think it's interesting how the performance/"spheres" aspect of sex & gender has been changing and fluid, even in the semi-distant past.