Double Edge is right...Though interesting, the Ex-Mo sites can't really be taken as literally as some would like them to be. The posters on the Ex-Mo sites have their own axe to grind, based on their own unique (sometimes grossly exaggerated) experiences within the LDS community. Firsthand experience is always the best evidence.
Double Edge is also right in that many people like to slant or distort things they've heard from someone else about Mormons to make the entire religion look kooky or weird or way out there. Actually, that often backfires when people find out through their own experience and efforts that such lurid tales are far-fetched at best.
Imbue, Mormon women don't cry at meetings out of any oppression. Nice try, but won't fly. Impossible for women who are educated and encouraged from birth to consider themselves literal daughters of God to allow anyone to oppress them. Especially since Mormon Priesthood requires men to honor womenhood, protect women, and lead their families only with the power of "love unfeigned". Which means, no unrighteous dominion allowed. Any woman who does allow it is a fool, and the blame is her own. She'd be oppressed even if not a member of any religion. No true LDS woman is going to allow ANY man to oppress her.
BTW, Priesthood is not considered anything that puts men above women, but only something that can help a man elevate himself to that level where a righteous woman will have arrived at on her own. Personally, I rather enjoy that concept!
As for collecting fast offerings weekly, no. That's something done only once a month, on the first Sunday of the month. But if that is too much for them, all they have to do is ask not be be contacted next time. And if they should have an actual need for assistance due to illness, etc., then they need only contact their Bishop to receive aid. That's what fast offerings are for...To aid the needy within our own congregation and community.
And lastly, yes, much of how the day to day is handled depends on who your Bishop is since there are many little details of congregation life that are left up to them. They aren't robots, and neither are we. All LDS are taught to think for themselves, to pray for themselves, to study for themselves, to understand God's will in their own lives. We think for ourselves. Shocking thought to some, I'm sure, but not to us.
And no, we don't do the shunning thing. Disfellowshipping and excommunication are done only as necessary, but are not punitive in nature. One of those things where the same terms are used as are used elsewhere to mean something very different, disfellowship and excommunicate obviously not being at all as JWs experience it, from what I've read on this and other boards.
Hope this helps clarify a few things! Take care and God bless you all!
Susan