An insider’s view of a misunderstood symbol of faith

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints requires that adult members wear garments under their clothes day and night. Though a central practice, the wearing of garments exists behind a wall of silence, as Church authorities and LDS culture discourage discussion of such a sacred matter.

Nancy Ross, Jessica Finnigan, and Larissa Kanno Kindred draw on a survey of over 4,500 Church members and their own backgrounds to explore the multifaceted meanings and experiences of Mormon garments. As the authors show, garments also function as a tool of social control that shapes behavior and reinforces conformity around sexuality. The diverse lived experiences of Latter-day Saints reveal how belief and gender intersect with feelings of secrecy, shame, and obedience while creating complexities for LDS members as they navigate questions of faith, identity, and agency. In addition, the authors call for greater understanding of the people grappling with tensions between personal customs and religious expectation.

Insightful and rich with detail, Mormon Garments sheds light on an intimate practice in the lives of Latter-day Saints.

Nancy Ross is an assistant professor of interdisciplinary studies at Utah Tech University. Jessica Finnigan and Larissa Kanno Kindred are independent scholars.

“The authors mine a giant data collection to record the daily life experiences of LDS adherents who wear temple garments. Their analysis does an excellent job of analyzing the gender implications of the survey results while opening up in-depth explorations of the relationship between garments and beliefs, the tension between secrecy and sacredness exposed through wearing garments, the relationship between church teachings and modesty, and the interplay between obedience and agency when garments function as a religious technology.”--Amy DeRogatis, author of Saving Sex: Sexuality and Salvation in American Evangelicalism

“This work includes rich, original sources that make for fantastic case studies. The authors’ analysis helps provide meaningful context and interpretation. These make Mormon Garments a wonderful addition to our understanding of the intersections of material culture, gender studies, and religion.”--Sara M. Patterson, author of Pioneers in the Attic: Place and Memory Along the Mormon Trail