LDS women ignore church leaders, attend all-male meeting

SALT LAKE CITY — Ignoring rebukes from church leaders, members of a Mormon women’s group pushing for gender equality for the first time joined men at regional church buildings across the U.S. to watch a live broadcast of the male priesthood meeting.

According to its Facebook page, members of Ordain Women watched the session Saturday night at scattered buildings in Utah, Arizona, California, Colorado, Oregon, Texas and the Washington, D.C. area.

The meeting, which coincides with the faith’s semiannual general conference, is held in Salt Lake City and broadcast to regional sites around the world.

At the last two general conferences, the women marched to the meeting reserved for members of the all-male priesthood, but were barred from entering.

The demonstrations caused a stir and led to rebukes from church leaders.