Mormons believe that our bodies are gifts from God, a stewardship to care for. The standards we live by to respect our bodies include modesty and sexual morality. The following was written by “A Mormon Girl“

Recently, I sat in an interview to be a role model in my local community. They were looking for girls to represent the different towns, shopping centers and landmarks by doing community service. I sat in the interview just waiting to burst with enthusiasm. I am passionate about being a part of change in society.

A lot of the world believes that the way young women portray themselves on television, magazines, and other media is a form of freedom of speech. A freedom to express themselves. Just another step towards empowerment.

If we are really that much closer to empowerment, why are we using our bodies? Men have never used their bodies this much in this form. If we have become any more empowered is it in the form that we want to be empowered in? Are the young women today standing up and saying “This is me and I am free to express my beliefs” or are they standing up today and saying “If she won’t take it off I will”?

We hold so much in our hands and can help turn the future. Women are more empowered, women can make choices, women can influence through their voice, through the literature they write and most of all their image. Our bodies are such sacred temples. Are we going to allow the media and world to tell us how we are to treat them?

Being a Latter-day Saint woman to me means I have a testimony. My testimony is my steering while aboard this Titanic. I think to stay clear from that iceberg is for women to keep all of our hands on the wheel. We must encourage other women to help and hold on to that wheel and keep turning far clear. We can stand for virtue, integrity, truth and morals.

We are women, many who become mothers with the gift to raise up our children with a desire to stand tall for these things. We can help our daughters be proud with how they speak, be proud with the example they set every day, be proud when they stand up and aren’t afraid to disagree with the world’s idea of how women should express themselves and exercise their freedoms.

We don’t need a risque picture, we don’t need to compromise our standards to become more appealing to the world. If we are true and we are still and we take a stand for our beliefs, we can find that inner beauty far exceeds what any makeup can offer or any new risque magazine has shown.

– – – – – – –

For more on Mormon standards such as morality and modesty, see the following resources:

For the Strength of Youth includes standards that guide the youth of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Chastity entry in True to the Faith

The Law of Chastity in Gospel Principles

Index entries at lds.org on chastity and modesty