The LDS Church recently posted a story celebrating a husband who supports his wife’s career as a pediatric neurologist. What looked like a simple social media post quickly became a very Mormon argument about motherhood, women’s careers, and whether the church has changed its teachings or just softened its public language.

In this episode of Mormon Monday, we talk about Jana Riess’s coverage of the post, the Family Proclamation, and older teachings from LDS leaders who framed motherhood and homemaking as women’s divinely assigned role. We also talk about why older women are not misremembering what they were taught, and why celebrating working mothers now requires an honest accounting of what the church used to discourage.

Sources mentioned in the episode are linked below.

Ezra Taft Benson, 1981. The Honored Place Of Women.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1981/10/the-honored-place-of-woman?lang=eng

Henry B. Eyring, 2018. Women and Gospel Learning In The Church.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2018/10/women-and-gospel-learning-in-the-home?lang=eng

Spencer W. Kimball, 1987. To The Mothers In Zion.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/eternal-marriage-student-manual/womens-divine-roles-and-responsibilities/to-the-mothers-in-zion-institute?lang=eng

Jana Reiss, 2026. LDS Church’s Post About Working Moms Does Indeed Clash With Past Teachings.

https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2026/05/11/jana-riess-lds-churchs-post-about/