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In this episode of Dialogue Book Report, Dialogue editor Caroline Kline sits down with Katie Ludlow Rich and Heather Sundahl, the authors of Fifty Years of Exponent II, newly released by Signature Books.
This comprehensive history and anthology chronicles the five-decade journey of Exponent II, a publication born in 1974 that boldly embraced both Mormonism and feminism. Katie and Heather delve into the origins of Exponent II, its evolution from a humble newspaper to a powerful voice for Mormon feminists, and its transformative impact on the lives of women navigating faith and identity. They share behind-the-scenes stories of their research, the challenges faced by Mormon feminists, and the ways the publication continues to address urgent issues, from the Equal Rights Amendment to queer identity.
Tune in to discover the rich history of Exponent II and how it continues to shape conversations on feminism, faith, and community.
Katie Ludlow Rich is a writer and independent scholar of Mormon women’s history. Her work focuses on centering women’s voices and their agentive decisions even when functioning within a patriarchal tradition. She has a bachelor’s in history and a master’s in English, both from Brigham Young University. Her writing has appeared in Exponent II, Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, the Journal of Mormon History, and the Salt Lake Tribune. She lives in Saratoga Springs, Utah.
Heather Sundahl believes in the power of stories. In pursuit of this, she has volunteered with Exponent II for twenty-eight years. As a writer and editor, Heather works to amplify the voices of marginalized folks and has collected the oral histories of Batswana, South African, Native American, and queer Mormon women. She received an MA in English from BYU in 1994 and an MA in Marriage & Family Therapy from UVU in 2023. Heather currently works at a residential treatment center where she helps her teenage clients find narratives that promote growth and healing. She lives in Orem, Utah.