First off, I think it's important to define the term "equality." Many people unfortunately and incorrectly believe the word "equal" to mean "identical," but this is inaccurate. If these two terms were in fact synonymous, then according to what God himself has taught us, men and women who were created equally would have to thus be identical in every way: identical in emotions, physical features, thoughts, desires, characteristics, likes, dislikes, etc. Obviously this is untrue because we've all recognized differences between men and women.
According to dictionary.com (one of my favorite go-to resources) the word "equal" has the following definitions:
1. as great as
2. like or alike in quantity, degree, value; of the same rank, ability, merit
3. evenly proportioned or balanced
From a Gospel perspective, the term "equal" means: "equal in blessings; equal in power, intelligence, wisdom, dignity, respect, giving counsel, giving consent, agency, value, potential, authority, exalted fullness, virtue, spirituality and spiritual gifts; equal heirs with Christ" (Successful Marriages and Families). That is a beautiful way of looking at it in my opinion because it applies to ALL of God's children, regardless of race, gender, religion, etc.
Today, many women feel they need to be "identical" to men in every way, including career opportunities, education, monetary benefits and power or political influence. And yes, this is possible, especially with the improvements we have made in society. But as mentioned before, men and women weren't meant to be identical. That would completely contradict God's plan for His children! Men and women were created equal in God's sight, equal in opportunities for growth and potential, and equal in opportunities for blessings and happiness.
Here's another doctrinal food for thought. Those who believe in the Council in Heaven that took place before we were born also believe that those of us who came to earth are here with physical bodies because we accepted God's Plan of Happiness, including the trials and tests that would come with it. To expand on that thought, President James E. Faust, an apostle of God, explained that, "Before we were born, male and female, we made certain commitments and agreed to come to this earth with great, rich, but different gifts." Whether a person is a Mormon doesn't matter in this case. Anyone living on the earth today--regardless of religious affiliation--made those same commitments and agreements before they were born. They understood the unique responsibilities that came with each gender and agreed to fulfill them. This is an extremely important concept to understand and remember especially in today's confused society. Another apostle of God explained that, "Our Heavenly Father endowed His sons and daughters with unique traits especially fitted for their individual responsibilities as they fulfill His plan" (Richard G. Scott). When we view things through The Plan of Salvation and with an eternal perspective, we realize that trying to be equal in careers or power doesn't really matter as much as raising a righteous and eternal family because that's what the Plan is really all about.
Another misconception is that men and women are either completely dependent on each other or completely independent of each other and neither of those beliefs are true. In reality, men and women are actually interdependent of each other and I am so grateful for that! I'm sure I could live the rest of my life alone and single and still be happy and successful in worldly aspects. But just in the last six weeks, I've learned that I could never be as happy alone as I am being married to my best friend because those eternal commitments I made have brought more blessings than I could have possibly imagined. Now, it's obviously different between someone who doesn't have the opportunity to marry in this life and someone who intentionally chooses not to get married. But those people can still have quality relationships with the opposite gender that bring about blessings as well.
One of my favorite quotes concerning this topic comes from President Spencer W. Kimball, a former prophet of God, who said, "In his wisdom and mercy, our Father made men and women dependent on each other for the full flowering of their potential. Because their natures are somewhat different, the can complement each other; because they are in many ways alike, they can understand each other. Let neither envy the other for their differences; let both discern what is superficial and what is beautifully basic in those differences and act accordingly." I have seen this eternal truth in my own marriage and couldn't agree more. Jordan brings out my strengths and makes up for my weaknesses. He perfectly complements and completes me in ways I never thought of. Sure, we have different responsibilities and qualities. He provides for our family by going to work everyday and I nurture our family by cooking, cleaning and providing a safe environment for the Spirit to reside. And to some people those responsibilities may not seem "equal" in difficulty of effort. What matters is that we both feel appreciated and balanced in our efforts and that we both have equal opportunities to fulfill our responsibilities and prove to God that we are grateful for those opportunities of growth.
I know there is so much more that could be said on this topic, considering it's been a huge topic of debate and legislation in the last 60 years or so, but those are my main thoughts on it. To sum up, each of us would do well to recognize and understand the different--but equally great and equally important--responsibilities and qualities that come with our gender and realize that now is the time to prove our loyalty to God and His plan. After all, it's called the Plan of Happiness for a reason.
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