333. Mormon Gaslighting, Testimonial Injustice, and Epistemic Violence

Recorded for the 2021 Sunstone Symposium

In this paper, I will explore some of the characteristics of Mormonism’s theology, practice, and culture through the lens of social epistemology and, in particular, the concepts of gaslighting, testimonial injustice, and epistemic violence. I will show that Mormonism is guilty of all three, using particular examples as paradigms of epistemic moves that are part of its epistemic culture. I will employ the methodology of standpoint epistemology and I will think through these issues from the point of view of LGBTQ+ members of the community. Despite Mormonism’s claim that each member can have the personal witness of the Holy Ghost concerning matters in their own lives, the epistemic practices of the LDS Church and the Mormon culture show otherwise. For example, although a transgender person might have the experience that they are not the gender assigned to them at birth, this experience is automatically negated by claims made by church leadership. This is a case of gaslighting, testimonial injustice, and epistemic violence rolled up into one. Other cases will be explored as well. The conclusion that I draw is that Mormon/LDS culture is epistemically vicious.

Speaker: Kelli D. Potter

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