Salt Lake City, UT — After the release of American Primeval, critics of the church braced for the usual denials of wrongdoing in the Mountain Meadows Massacre, but instead The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) has issued a formal statement condemning the new film for its depiction of a Mormon woman pioneer exhibiting autonomy and resilience. Church officials argue that such portrayals could lead to “dangerous misconceptions” that women might have actually played some important role during the pioneer era other than give birth, cook and clean.
“While we appreciate the filmmakers’ interest in our history, the suggestion that a Mormon woman of that era could be considered as protagonist material is ridiculous,” said church spokesperson Elder Ben Trowel. “You’ll notice it never happens in the Lord’s films. Our movies barely indicate that pioneer women were even present out west, but science seems to prove us otherwise so we include them because we believe in science.”
The film features a female character named Abbish Pratt who not only speaks her mind but also takes decisive action during perilous situations without losing her head. In fact, her husband, named Jacob (but increasingly is known by fans as “Abbish’s husband”) loses his head in more than one way—a narrative choice the church finds problematic. “It’s a slippery slope. Once you accept that women can think for themselves, it becomes obvious that they should have the priesthood. And once that happens, they’ll want equity in Ensign Peak. It’s like my favorite, I mean my son’s favorite book: If You Give a Mouse a Cookie.”
Interestingly, the church’s critique focuses solely on the depiction of female autonomy, making no mention of the film’s portrayal of the brutal violence that Mormon leaders used on neighboring indigenous tribes and white settlers. When asked about scenes and historical evidence depicting Mormon settlers as culty butchers, Trowel responded, “…I know the church is true,” after which an awkward silence ensued.
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Historians have noted that while Mormon pioneer women faced numerous hardships, their experiences were complex and varied. “It’s a bit ironic,” said Dr. Patricia Applebaum, a historian specializing in 19th-century American religious movements. “The church seems to treat autonomous 19th century women the same way they treat LGBTQ people today: pretend like they don’t exist and hope the whole thing blows over.”
The LDS Church has not announced any plans to engage further with the filmmakers but hopes that future portrayals will “accurately reflect the historical context and crushing societal norms of something approaching female slavery that truly characterized the pioneer spirit.”
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