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I don't have any family in the Mormon Church (thank God!), but I get around - especially since Utah is right next door and I have lived in places a mere 50 or 60 miles from that dreaded state line. The Utah of Salt Lake versus the Utah of, say, Blanding is a whole different world. It is my understanding that a non-Mormon can limp by in Salt Lake without too much difficulty. Small towns in rural Utah are an entirely different tale, and not a pretty one at that.
The oppression that women in these little Mormon communities endure is outrageous. I could tell story after story. The state liquor laws are insane, and try, oh just try, being a non Mormon tourist looking for anything, even WATER! I was on one of my camping adventures in eastern Utah when I realized my sturdy 10 gallon water container was almost empty and I was in desert country and it was pretty darn hot and dry. It was around 8:00pm on a warm summer evening and everything in Blanding, Utah (where I realized I was low on water) was closed. I cruised the main street looking thirstily around for so much as a single water tap, ANYWHERE. Nothing. Every public place was dark and shut down.
Then I saw that there was a light on in the local LDS Church as I drove by. I whipped a U-Turn, drove back to the church and stopped and knocked at the door round back. A thin woman with a sour expression peered out. "May I fill up my water container from your outdoor tap?" I asked politely.
Ms. Lemon Lips regarded me as if I was a space alien who had just demanded her first born child.
"They have water at Natural Bridges National Monument. Its about 80 miles down the road." Then she shut the door.
As I drove away, someone turned the lawn sprinklers on and showers of water began to dance on the church lawn. I drove the 80 miles to Bridges and have felt a strong dislike for Mormons every since.
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