Caitlin Connelly: WOMEN DEBATING TWO TRUTHS

THE STORY: This image is of two women, back to back, each holding a glowing orb in her hands. The one of the right looks like the earth. It brings to mind Eve weighing the two truths or commandments she was given--and she chose to eat, to multiply and replenish the earth, instead of obeying the other truth. She literally chose the earth, in this imagery.

It also reminds me of the challenge modern Latter-day Saint women face: do we pursue as much education as we can, or don't delay childbearing for education? Do we work to provide for our families as equal partners with our husbands, or do we take the responsibility of nurturing our children full-time? All these commandments are truths--and we all have to weigh them, debate them, and choose.

THE ANALYSIS: It's powerful to me that these women are leaning into each other and that their skirts meld into one solid shape. It's a reminder that while these choices can be divisive, they shouldn't be. These women are debating two truths, not one truth and a lie. And even if their decisions are different, they are visually united here as sisters in the gospel, both on the covenant path.

The woman on the left stares into her glowing orb--the truth she considers--but the woman on the right has relaxed into the other woman and looks dreamily into the distance. Both these images represent parts of these debates: staring at it, examining it from every angle, but also forecasting its effects down the road.

I actually don't have a ton of analysis about this painting. It embodies so well for me something that is a hobby horse of mine, that I find myself repeating over and over when I teach young women: our paths are different. We're supposed to marry (but we might not meet the right person, or might not meet him until late), supposed to have children (but sometimes we don't have a partner or can't afford a baby or can't get pregnant or have health concerns), supposed to get education (but sometimes we can't afford that, or we don't know what to study), supposed to work with our husbands as equal partners in providing and nurturing our children (but sometimes we have to provide full-time, and sometimes we don't feel nurturing, and sometimes we prefer working, and sometimes we don't know how to nurture our children). There are just SO MANY PATHS--truths--for women to walk, and the only way to find the right ones is step by step, with the Spirit. Because it's not right/wrong. It's two truths.


PERSONAL IMPACT: I have loved this image since I first saw it on the cover of Neylen McBaine's Women at Church. Which, incidentally, is an amazing gem that you should purchase, read, and push on those you love. This image shows such a fundamental understanding of the difficulty of being human--particularly a woman. There are multiple truths. Multiple ways. Multiple points of view. And our challenge is to weigh them and then choose.

There's a lot riding on a lot of our choices.


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