Heather, I am glad for your description and defense of Mormon culture...in a country and world filled with biases, it is often only when a person speaks out loudly and says to those who would slur or who misunderstand "THAT IS NOT ME, THAT IS NOT MY FAMILY, THAT IS NOT MY RELIGION," that we can learn who you are.

If a culture openly and widely is a living example of what it IS, then it will not have to talk about what it IS NOT.

I admit, I do not know a lot of Mormon people (maybe 25).  It is the ones I do know that lead me to my feelings about this culture.  And it is probably a skewed population. The women have mostly left their husbands or their Church because they felt they were being denied their rights or privileges as women and as members of their society.  The men, who have married non-Mormons, have not impressed me with their treatment of either their wives or their children.  And yes, I do know a few Mormons who are neither abused or abusive, repressed or repressive.

 My original post, however, was not particularly about Mormon women in Utah.  The subject line, to the best of my memory, was "hx sexual abuse / BF", and was mostly about abused women and their attitudes towards breastfeeding, whatever their religion and wherever they might be.  And there we agree, it seems, 100%.  Any woman who, as a result of abuse, or whatever other body issues, cannot allow her baby to her breast, needs HELP.

Sincerely,  Chanita