Exceptionally Queer

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This powerful rethinking of Mormonism examines its role in U.S. history, culture, and politics from 1830 to the present, challenging the notion that Mormon peculiarity is inherent to the faith. K. Mohrman argues that such perceptions are expressions of U.S. exceptionalism. The work scrutinizes a wide range of historical moments, from the early battles over plural marriage to the LDS Church’s emphasis on “individual responsibility” and “family values.” It also addresses the Church’s racist exclusion of Black priesthood holders, Native assimilation programs, and opposition to the Equal Rights Amendment, alongside contemporary legal and cultural disputes over same-sex marriage and portrayals of Mormon polygamy. Mohrman evaluates how Mormonism has been leveraged to justify biased, exclusionary, and colonialist policies in the U.S. The author highlights how debates surrounding Mormonism have influenced racial discourses, shaping boundaries of whiteness and national belonging through the lens of (hetero)normative ideas about sex, marriage, family, and economy. Ultimately, this exploration reveals that discussions of Mormonism are central to understanding what it means to be American.