I’ll Never Not Be Mormon”: The Impact of Disaffiliation on Identity and Womanhood

When women leave the LDS Church many are left navigating changes regarding what womanhood means to them and how it impacts their daily choices. This presentation summarizes the results of Emily Janes’ thesis on how the process of disaffiliation from the Church impacts women’s views of their womanhood. Interviews with 25 women who have disaffiliated from the church provide insight into the socialization of women in the Church, the pain and grief they feel as they deconstruct their beliefs through the process of disaffiliation, and the peace many feel from unbinding their views on womanhood.