The Female Absorption Coefficient: The Miniskirt Study, Gender, and Latter-day Saint Architectural Acoustics (July 2021)
This article investigates the role the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) played in shaping modern architectural acoustics and, in turn, how architectural acoustics shape bodies and gender. It examines leading acoustician Vern Knudsen's 1969 "miniskirt experiment," which tested the sound absorption properties of several miniskirted secretaries. Knudsen cited LDS acoustic practices—where women were largely responsible for mediating sound—as his inspiration for the experiment. At a time when self-expression threatened sexual modesty, architectural acoustics—driven by a dogma of "covering up"—intervened as a systematic tool to socialize bodies, ensure clarity of the male voice, and control "unwieldy" sonic experiences. This article contextualizes Knudsen's experiment and underlines the necessity of understanding the overlap of religion, gender, and sound, particularly in the purportedly "objective" realm of acoustics. The article demonstrates the inextricable enmeshment of technology and faith, and delineates religious influence on sound development and gender identity in a moment dominated by secular narratives.
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