Item Detail
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27589
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0
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0
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English
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The Socioeconomic Status of Women in Utah : Creating a Framework for Women's Rights Advocacy
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Salt Lake City, UT
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Westminster College
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Master's Thesis
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"The socioeconomic status of women in Utah and the complexities of the culture in which they live were examined to provide a theoretical understanding of issues impacting a woman's ability to be self-sufficient. Areas of focus included delving into women's education and poverty levels, wage disparities, women's physical safety, and retirement status. Ideology within the conservative LDS religious community was studied to develop an understanding of the political and cultural environment that in which Utah women live. Data was collected through statistical data, interviews with community leaders, observations of the Utah legislature, and by attending events related to women's issues. Findings indicate that there is no progressive feminist group in Utah advocating for broad based issues pertaining directly to women, and that the conservative, patriarchal culture is reflected in policies and attitudes within the legislative body. Themes in the data identified the importance of women's education and financial health to obtaining socioeconomic well-being and security throughout all stages of life. Implications of findings highlight the need for a progressive organization to champion the need for women to be highly educated, to have the ability to be financially independent whether they work outside the home or stay home to raise a family, to become educated about their sexuality and to have the freedom to choose their reproductive destiny, to be politically active, and to expect equality in the home and the workplace."--Author's abstract.