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Secrets Of The Self: The Reconceptualization Of Gender-Role Identity In Contemporary Latter-Day Saint Women , Kelli Jo Kerry Moran

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation focuses on the resolution of gender role conflict in female members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). Contemporary women are faced with contradictory pressures as they strive to develop gender-role identity. As a highly patriarchal religion, cultural pressures within the LDS church increase the paradox surrounding gender roles as women are encouraged to follow traditional gender role patterns. Women with ambitions and talents that do not fall within traditional role expectations are challenged to develop independent conceptions of their gender-role identity. Paradox in gender-roles and gender-role identity results in fragmenting of the self as ...