Source: The Salt Lake Tribune
http://www.sltrib.com/faith/ci_2393183
On August 14, 2004 The Salt Lake Tribune reported, "Margaret Toscano's faith and feminism coalesced during a Mormon temple ritual that spoke of heavenly queens and priestesses who reign alongside kings and priests. Coming as it did in the inner sanctuary of what she believed was a rigidly patriarchal church, the moment was thrilling, even revelatory, and it launched Toscano on a 30-year quest to uncover Mormonism's radical beliefs about women. It also put her at odds with LDS leaders; in November 2000, Toscano was excommunicated for publicly preaching what she had learned. Toscano now teaches ancient cultures, myth and religion at the University of Utah, but her interest in feminism and Mormonism has continued unabated. Just this week she gave several lectures on the faith's understanding of Heavenly Mother. Today she will explore Mormon fascination with The Da Vinci Code, the popular novel about Mary Magdalene at the Sunstone Symposium."