| Description |
This thesis argues that Mormon women in the twentieth century used the advice column "Confidentially Yours" in the Deseret News as place to voice their problems and receive advice from fellow members of their religious community while escaping the orthodoxy and judgement of their religious community. Historians have analyzed how American women used advice columns in the twentieth century. This research is unique because it focuses on letters and responses within a particular religious group. The original correspondence was saved by the column's author, Ramona Wilcox Cannon, and served as the primary resource for this research. This material provided key insights into the everyday experiences of Mormon women in Utah. This research focuses on topics that were common among American women (such as marriage, divorce, housework, and work), but also analyzes the religious context that Mormon women needed to navigate in solving personal problems. While Mormon women had unique problems that reflected their religious beliefs, ultimately their problems were not significantly different from what most American women experienced after World War II. |
