Ambition Seeking Sisterhood: Exploring Mormon Socialization, Women's Education, and the Relevance of Online Support Groups

Breaking from national trends, the women in Mormon-dominated Utah attain degrees at a much lower rate than the men. Many Mormon women report valuing some college experience but view graduation as unnecessary. Why? This study provides insight and outlines potential actions, applying social reproduction theory in the qualitative analysis of ethnographic data. I focus on an online support group (OSG) for college women actively working against the gendered expectations of their Mormon socialization. I find Mormon culture's emphasis on domestic nurturing restricts the options that are perceived as appropriate and preferable for Mormon women. Such limitations leave unmet many women's need for a sense of identity outside their current or potential motherhood. OSG members pursued aspirations amidst a culture that did not value their actions, resulting in a lack of support. The OSG mitigated this experience. In addition to providing academic assistance and emotional support, the women created a sense of community with cultural norms adapted to their aspirations, disrupting Mormon culture's impact on how these women see the world and their place in it. My findings give insight into Mormon-socialized women's choices and offer evidence for OSGs' use in helping women to break from unconstructive cultural norms.