In a significant move towards gender equality, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has announced it is lowering the minimum age for women to serve as missionaries. Effective immediately, young women can now begin their missions at 18, bringing the age requirement in line with that for young men.
A Watershed Moment for Gender Equality
The change, announced on Friday 21 November 2025, marks the first adjustment to missionary age rules since 2012. It is one of the first major policy shifts under the church's new President, Dallin H. Oaks. Church spokesperson Doug Andersen stated that this decision reflects President Oaks's desire to provide "additional options and flexibility for young women" who wish to serve.
This move is widely seen as a response to the growing number of young women engaged in the church's global missionary efforts. These missions are considered rites of passage, where young members work to recruit new adherents and share the beliefs of the Utah-based faith, which boasts a global membership of 17.5 million.
Building on a Decade of Change
The last time the church altered its missionary age policy was in 2012, a change that was itself a watershed moment. At that time, the minimum age was lowered from 21 to 19 for women and from 19 to 18 for men. The impact was immediate and profound.
"That rule change led to a significant increase in women serving missions," explained church spokesperson Sam Penrod. Currently, about 25,000 of the 85,000 missionaries are women, equating to 29% of the total missionary force. This is a substantial increase from the mere 12% of missionaries who were women prior to the 2012 adjustment.
Church growth researcher Matt Martinich of The Cumorah Project predicts the new change will lead to an even greater number of female missionaries. "It shows more equality in terms of missionary opportunity," Martinich said, adding that mission presidents often report women tend to be more effective as teachers and proselytisers.
Progress Amidst Persistent Disparities
While this change equalises the starting age, some differences in missionary service between men and women remain. The length of missions continues to be longer for men: two years for men compared to 18 months for women.
Furthermore, the church's official statement highlighted a fundamental distinction in expectation. It pointed out that every "worthy, able young man" should prepare to serve a mission, while it remains an optional pursuit for women. The faith's top leadership roles are also still reserved for men.
This announcement follows another recent change aimed at female members: the introduction of sleeveless versions of sacred undergarments. This decision, driven by comfort and fashion, saw long queues of women at specialty stores, indicating a church attuned to the practical needs of its female members.
For members like LeAnne Tolley, a Utah resident, the change is a cause for excitement. She is thrilled for her 14-year-old granddaughter who aspires to serve. Tolley observes a growing desire among youth in her congregation to share their beliefs and offer hope. "Most religions — not just ours — seem to be experiencing this revival especially with young people," she remarked.
To accommodate the anticipated surge in applicants, the church has also announced the creation of 55 new worldwide missions for the coming year, ensuring the infrastructure is in place for this new generation of missionaries.
