The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced on Friday that it will allow women to serve missions starting as young as 18, lowering the minimum age by one year and making the age requirement the same for men and women.
The change, one of the first big moves by new church President Dallin H. Oaks, equalizes opportunities and is a likely response to increasing numbers of young women who are engaged in the church’s global missions. These
opportunities to serve are seen as rites of passages for young church members, who work to recruit new members and share the beliefs of the Utah-based faith that has 17.5 million members around the world. Missions are designed to strengthen their faith, broaden their perspective on the world and prepare many of them for future leadership positions in congregations.
It marks the first time since 2012 that the faith known widely as the Mormon church has changed this rule for missionaries. At that time, the minimum age for missionaries was lowered from 21 to 19 for women and from 19 to 18 for men. That change, seen as a watershed moment for women in the church, led to applications for new missions doubling just within a few days of the announcement.
That rule change led to a significant increase in women serving missions. Currently, about 25,000 of the 85,000 missionaries are women, said Sam Penrod, a spokesperson for the church. That equates to 29% — a number that has remained consistent over the past decade. That is more than double the 12% of missionaries women accounted for before the 2012 rule change.
The new change will likely lead to even more women serving missions, said Matt Martinich, a church growth researcher for The Cumorah Project, a privately funded research organization.
“It shows more equality in terms of missionary opportunity," Martinich said, adding that he has heard from mission presidents that women also tend to be more effective as teachers and proselytizers.
Church spokesperson Doug Andersen said this change is a reflection of Oaks’ desire to provide “additional options and flexibility for young women” who want to serve. The 55 new worldwide missions announced for the coming year will also help accommodate the demand, he said.
Yet, some disparities remain. The length of missions remains longer for men than women: two years for men and 18 months for women. And in the statement announcing the change, the church pointed out that every “worthy, able young man” should prepare to serve a mission while it remains optional for women.
The faith reserves its top leadership roles to men.
Last month, the church made available sleeveless versions of the sacred undergarments worn by women members. Social media was abuzz with pictures of long lines of mostly women waiting for their chance to get inside specialty stores to buy these items, which many women said made sense from a comfort and fashion perspective.
LeAnne Tolley, a Utah resident and a Latter-day Saint, said she is excited for her 14-year-old granddaughter who wants to serve as a missionary. Her son served when he was 19, but her daughter did not, adding that there is a different expectation in the faith for men and women.
Tolley said she now sees youth in her congregation and others in the area expressing a desire to share their beliefs and more importantly, share hope in an increasingly hopeless world.
“Most religions — not just ours — seem to be experiencing this revival especially with young people,” she said.
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