Kate Kelly (feminist) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kate Kelly
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Kate Kelly, 2024, Photographed by Seth McCausland
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| Born | 1980/1981 (age 44–45) Arizona, U.S.
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| Education | Brigham Young University (BA) American University (JD) |
| Occupation | Human rights lawyer |
| Known for | Founder of Ordain Women | Equal Rights Amendment advocate |
| Spouse(s) |
J. Neil Ransom
(m. 2006; div. 2016) |
Kathleen Marie Kelly (born 1980/1981) is an American activist and human rights lawyer. She is known for starting Ordain Women, a group that supported women being allowed to serve in leadership roles (called the priesthood) in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Kelly was removed from the church in 2014 because of her activism. She also works to help pass the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) in the United States.
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Early Life and Education
Kelly was born in Arizona and grew up in Hood River, Oregon. She is one of five children. Her mother is a lawyer, and her father used to publish newspapers and work at a university. Both of her parents joined the LDS Church later in life.
In 2006, Kelly earned a degree in political science from Brigham Young University (BYU). While at BYU, she helped organize a student protest. This protest was about free speech on campus.
Later, in 2012, Kelly earned her law degree from the Washington College of Law at American University.
Career as a Human Rights Lawyer
Throughout her career, Kate Kelly has worked with many groups that focus on human rights. She hosts a podcast called Ordinary Equality. She also wrote a book with the same name, Ordinary Equality: The Fearless Women Who Helped Shape the U.S. Constitution and the Equal Rights Amendment (2022). This book talks about important women and the Equal Rights Amendment.
Starting Ordain Women
In May 2013, Kelly started an organization called Ordain Women. This group wanted women to be able to hold leadership positions (the priesthood) in the LDS Church. Church leaders asked Kelly to stop her efforts.
In April 2014, Kelly held a peaceful protest at Temple Square in Salt Lake City during a major church meeting. Because of her actions, she was removed from the church in June 2014. She sent a written defense but did not attend the meeting where the decision was made.
Kelly asked her supporters to stay in the church if they felt they could. She wanted them to continue speaking up for change. Kelly appealed her removal from the church, but her appeals were not successful.
Kelly often says that "equality is not a feeling." She means that gender equality can be measured and should not depend on how individuals feel about their worth.
Working with Other Churches
In October 2015, Kelly took part in an event related to women becoming priests in the Catholic Church. This event was organized by a group called the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests. The Catholic Church does not allow women to be priests.
Advocating for Women's Rights
In January 2017, Kelly helped plan the 2017 Women's March in Washington, D.C., for people from Utah. She also helped organize a large march in Salt Lake City at the Utah State Capitol. At this rally, Kelly spoke about how women should have a say in laws that affect their bodies and lives.
In 2019, Kelly helped lead workshops in Uruguay and Argentina for the United Nations. These workshops discussed how women's human rights can sometimes conflict with religious freedom. She also participated in similar workshops in Geneva and New York.
Pushing for the ERA
Kate Kelly has been a strong supporter of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) for many years. The ERA is a proposed amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would guarantee equal rights for all citizens regardless of sex.
In 2017, after many women's rights marches, Kelly helped create a resolution to ratify the ERA in Utah. Even though the LDS Church opposes the ERA, Kelly continues to work for its passage in Utah. She believes that women realize their rights are not always secure and can be taken away.
In December 2019, Kelly led a protest for the ERA at Temple Square in Salt Lake City. The group sang Christmas carols with new lyrics about equality. They also projected a large "ERA YES" symbol onto the church's conference center.
In January 2020, Kelly started her podcast, Ordinary Equality. The podcast talks about the past, present, and future of the ERA. The name comes from a quote by Alice Paul, who wrote the ERA in 1923. Paul said, "Most reforms, most problems are complicated. But to me there is nothing complicated about ordinary equality."
Kelly has written about how the ERA can help fight discrimination based on gender identity. She believes the ERA will protect women, girls, and all marginalized genders.
In 2020, Kelly was featured in Glamour magazine. She said that her excommunication from the church was a "gift." It allowed her to work on other causes she cares about. She also believes that freedom of religion includes the freedom from religion.
In June 2020, Kelly helped write a legal document for a court case about the ERA. This document argued that the ERA is important for young people today. It said that the ERA would show that gender equality is a key value in the United States.
Personal Life
Kate Kelly served as a missionary for the LDS Church in Barcelona, Spain, for a year and a half. Because of this, she speaks Spanish fluently. She has also lived and worked in other Spanish-speaking places like San Jose, Costa Rica, and San Cristobal de Las Casas in Chiapas, Mexico.
Kelly married J. Neil Ransom in 2006. They divorced in 2016.
In 2018, Kelly started "Sacred Space." This is a group that celebrates women and nonbinary people from all different faith backgrounds. She started it with a professor and a Jewish activist.
See also
