To give a little background about my situation and the disadvantages I face, here’s a little bit about me. I’m F25 raised by a single mom below the poverty line and I am ex-Mormon. (Or LDS for those who want to be picky)
The culture here is a bit odd to say the least. Socially the more religious you are, the higher social standing you have. With over 80% of our population being members of the church, the other 20% are at a huge disadvantage, especially when it comes to career growth and opportunity here’s why:
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Even though religious discrimination is illegal, it is so rampant here and blatant that it almost goes unnoticed, unless you’re not Mormon. Your managers will most likely be Mormon, and even if it is unconscious or not, they have biases. Talking about religion and church here is so normal that it’s very easy for people to find out if you’re Mormon or not. If it’s you against a mormon fighting for that promotion, they are most likely going to give it to the person they can relate to the most. And while yes, you could TRY to file a lawsuit for religious discrimination, it’s very difficult to prove and you’re obviously not being paid enough to hire a lawyer in the first place.
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It is automatically assumed you are mormon unless otherwise spoken (which you want to avoid because of social stigma) Being a woman, this means your employer assumes you are either living with parents / roommates to supplement your income, or you are married and your husband is the breadwinner. While this is the typical lifestyle for a Mormon girl, if you don’t live in that lifestyle you are granted less raises, hired for lower pay, and get a lot less empathy for being in a more independent situation. If you ask for higher wages than they are offering, they will most likely not hire you because it is much easier for them to find someone who is willing to work for lower wages.
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Networking, building clientele, and meeting people who could offer you better job opportunities or even advice on a career path is next to impossible if you don’t go to church. Church in Utah is the only community you’ll really find here. You go to church with your neighbors, and if they don’t see you there they know. That leads to ostracism from your community, which means less opportunity.
I do want to say that this is not the case for everyone, some are able to grow regardless of the hurdles, but this has been my experience personally and why I’ve struggled to ever make enough to afford rent. If you live in a similar situation I would love to hear your experiences.