Woman's_Exponent

Woman's Exponent

Woman's Exponent (1872–1914) was a monthly newspaper for women which began publication in Salt Lake City, Utah Territory in 1872. Originally conceived by leaders in the Relief Society of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), the Exponent was a generally accepted voice for the women of the LDS Church. However, the Exponent's editorial board and management also acted independently of the church hierarchy and had considerable influence in matters of Utah and national politics. Its editorials frequently championed both plural marriage and women's suffrage.

History

The original editor of the newspaper was Louisa Lula Greene, who accepted the position with the approval of her great uncle — Brigham Young, the president of the LDS Church. She was succeeded as editor in 1877 by Emmeline B. Wells, who would later become general president of the Relief Society. Wells served as the publication's editor for 37 years until it folded in 1914. Facing increasing financial pressures in the early 1900s, Wells unsuccessfully lobbied the Relief Society General Board to adopt the newspaper as its official publication. With their rejection, the paper was forced to close. The Relief Society Magazine, a separate publication, began publication in January 1915.

Exponent II

After the consolidation of the Relief Society Magazine into the Ensign in 1970, Exponent II was started in 1974 by several Cambridge, Massachusetts-area women. Produced by a non-profit organization independent of the LDS Church, this newspaper focuses on the concerns and experiences of Mormon women from a feminist perspective.