Sometimes, a closed window can become an opened door. That’s the opportunity now for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints regarding the visibility of its women’s leaders in the wake of a recent directive to some wards and stakes to stop inviting Relief Society presidents and other female leaders to sit on the stand in Sunday meetings. The directive has prompted considerable discussion about women’s leadership in the church, including an open letter to church leaders with more than 2,000 signatures urging that the women be invited back to the stand.
I believe that women leaders should sit on the stand for the same reasons men leaders do. I learned the value of sitting on the stand in my nearly 17 years of doing so while serving as a bishop for more than five years and then as a counselor in the stake presidency. We were trained that sitting on the stand (even when we weren’t conducting the meeting or speaking) was important to serving effectively. Sitting on the stand meant we could easily see who came that day and who didn’t, who was new, who was visiting, who was sitting alone. We were told to be open to inspiration as we looked out into the congregation, that we might see in someone’s face a need we could help address. I remember often jotting notes to myself as I sat there about whom I needed to talk to when the meeting ended.
Sitting on the stand also made us visible to the members. They could see that we had been called to serve and were serving. The new or visiting members knew whom to talk to. The regular members knew where to find us. And having us sit on the stand was a sign of respect. At General Conference, the general authorities and general officers, including women, all sit on the stand, even though most of them won’t be speaking. We honor our leaders’ service by where we ask them to sit.
All of these reasons for sitting on the stand apply as much to female leaders as to male leaders. The General Handbook says the Relief Society president is to “counsel with ward members,” “oversee the service of ministering sisters,” “help lead efforts in the ward to invite all to receive the blessings of the gospel” and help “address needs in the ward.” The Young Women president and Primary president have similar responsibilities in their areas. Sitting on the stand where they can see and be seen would enable these sisters to better fulfill their responsibilities just as it helps members of the bishopric fulfill theirs. It would remind members each week of these sisters, the devoted service they give and the indispensable roles they play in the ward. And it would honor these women for their service and inspire all of us — women and men — to follow their example.
Testimonials on the WomenOnTheStand Instagram page from women’s leaders who have been sitting on the stand confirm the value of being visible. They describe feeling more confident in their callings, better situated to see and respond to members’ needs and better able to be an example. They report that the women in their wards have warmly embraced seeing their leaders on the stand. These leaders feel sitting on the stand sends an especially important message to the church’s young women, who are quick to see whether women are seen and appreciated. These young women are strengthened by a weekly, visible demonstration that their ward is led not just by men but also by dedicated and caring women as well — and that they too can be leaders in the work of the church. Male leaders have voiced their support. They recognize, as I do, that sharing the stand with women’s leaders enhances their own service. We lose all these benefits when these leaders are excluded from the stand. The dismay, sadness and feelings of being discounted expressed by the women told to leave the stand (and by so many other women in the church) confirm that loss and cry out for a different policy.
It’s often said that women are the church’s unsung heroes, that they carry the load and make things happen. That’s certainly been true in my experience. But it’s also true that effective leadership almost always requires visibility. Reflecting as much, the church has emphasized valuing women’s leadership and making their service more visible — and it has recently made good progress in that direction. But there is more that can and should be done. I applaud the wards and stakes that have invited their women’s leaders to a seat on the stand. I wish that I had done so when I was serving. I would love to see women’s leaders sitting on the stand not just in General Conference or in a few wards and stakes, but also throughout the church.
Craig Stewart
Craig Stewart is an attorney and a lifelong member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who has served with and been inspired by many devoted and capable women leaders. He currently serves in his home stake and lives in Walnut Creek, California.
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