The Woman's Exponent (A Utah Ladies' Journal) was a periodical published from 1872 until 1914 in Salt Lake City with the stated aims of defending and inculcating right principles, and sharing useful knowledge, and to "discuss every subject interesting and valuable to women.

[9] The Exponent also published excerpts from Elizabeth Cady Stanton's The Woman's Bible and passages on the Mormon doctrine of Heavenly Mother.

[10] In addition to these religious, social, and political topics, the Exponent included poems and stories, tidbits of humor or wisdom, and current news.

[6] To promote a more financially-independent Utah, the Exponent "constantly exhorted women to consume only locally made products.

"[12] Reports from meetings of Relief Society bodies and other auxiliary organizations, such as young women’s and primary groups, were often included.

[13] Though it was a private publication, women of the Relief Society were actively encouraged to subscribe, as well as contribute to the paper.

"[15] Its circulation was estimated by the Pacific States Newspaper Directory to be 4,000 in 1888, and its readership likely exceeded that number; the Exponent was used in women's meetings and exchanged with papers outside of Utah.

[5] The back page of the newspaper was reserved for advertisements, which included ads from the President of the Church encouraging women to open their own bank accounts.

[16] He recruited Louisa Lula Greene as editor, and she accepted the position after she secured the approval of her great uncle,[18] Brigham Young, the president of the LDS Church,[6] who assigned it to her as a mission.

[23] The periodical faced increasing financial pressures from the late 1800s or early 1900s, and Wells unsuccessfully lobbied the Relief Society General Board to adopt the newspaper as its official publication.

[24][5] That month, The Salt Lake Tribune recorded that the Exponent was "to give way to what is hoped to be a larger and more modern [publication], but as yet nothing has been done.