rights of women

Elvira Stevens Barney (1832–1909) was a physician, missionary, and advocate for women’s rights in early Utah. Born in Gerry, New York, to a merchant father and schoolteacher mother, she was baptized in 1844 and arrived in the Salt Lake Valley with the Brigham Young pioneer company in 1848. In 1851, Barney was called on a mission to the Sandwich Islands (Hawaii), where she taught the gospel and basic education while learning the Hawaiian language. She later pursued her long-held dream of becoming a doctor, studying at Wheaton College in Illinois and serving a mission to Philadelphia, where she continued her medical studies. She graduated as a doctor of medicine in 1883. Barney practiced obstetrics and taught medicine classes to women in Utah. She served as a visiting physician at Deseret Hospital and spoke at mass meetings defending Latter-day Saint women’s voting rights. Active in the Utah Woman Suffrage Association, she also authored The Stevens Genealogy , published in 1907.

Kathryn Knight Sonntag earned a BA in English and a BS in environmental studies before earning her MLA in landscape architecture and environmental planning. Her thesis focused on the role of the transcendent in landscapes and greatly informs her creative pursuits. She works as a freelance writer and landscape designer, and serves as the poetry editor for Wayfare Magazine. Her work centers on language as a powerful technology capable of manipulating ideas, transforming concepts, and achieving a specific vision. Sonntag’s scholarship builds upon ideas related to the role of language in shaping our understanding of the world and our relationship to it. Sonntag’s research delves into the archetype of the Divine Mother and the necessity of returning to her wisdom for the planet’s restoration. Drawing from thinkers like Elaine Showalter, Ursula K. Le Guin, and Jungian analyst Clarissa Pinkola Estés, she examines the suppressed experiences of women and the consequences of disconnecting from what she terms “wild nature.” Sonntag argues that a limited, male-centric view of nature has contributed to environmental degradation and that amplifying the voice of women is crucial for healing the world.

Neylan McBaine is a prominent figure in Utah’s women’s advocacy scene and a connector between Mormon history and future-oriented thought. Originally from the East Coast, she graduated from Yale University and then honed her skills as a digital marketer at both large corporations like Walmart and smaller companies like Tea Collection. Additionally, she served as a brand strategist for Bonneville Communications, gaining valuable experience in shaping narratives and messaging. For over a decade, McBaine has been a vocal advocate for women in Utah. She is the founder of the Mormon Women Project, a nonprofit organization dedicated to amplifying the voices of Mormon women by sharing their stories and exploring avenues for greater inclusion within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Her commitment to this cause led her to author the book, *Women at Church*. Most recently, McBaine co-founded and serves as the CEO of Better Days 2020, a statewide Utah project commemorating the 150th anniversary of women first voting in Utah and the centennial of the Nineteenth Amendment. This role allows her to combine her marketing expertise with her passion for women’s history, particularly the significant contributions of women in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to the suffrage movement. She explores the application of women’s history lessons to diverse priorities including those found within transhumanist thought. While now focusing on a broader scope encompassing all Utah women, McBaine acknowledges the importance of her Mormon heritage and its connection to her work. Her perspective bridges the past and the future, making her a unique voice in conversations about progress, faith, and the potential of women.

Sarah Melissa Granger Kimball (1818–1898) was a pioneer advocate for women’s rights and an early leader in the Relief Society. Born in Phelps, New York, to a prominent family, she joined the Church in 1833 at age fifteen. She was one of twenty-three women known to have attended Joseph Smith’s School of the Prophets in Kirtland. In Nauvoo, Kimball organized a charitable sewing society that evolved into the Relief Society when it was officially organized on March 17, 1842. She believed this founding marked the beginning of a new era of opportunity for women worldwide. After crossing the plains to Salt Lake City in 1851, driving her own team, she was appointed Relief Society president of the Fifteenth Ward. Kimball served as ward Relief Society president for forty years while also holding positions as general secretary of the Relief Society and president of the Utah Woman Suffrage Association. Her gravestone reads “Strong-Minded and Warm-Hearted,” fitting tribute to a woman who declared that “education and agitation are our best weapons of warfare” in advancing women’s rights.