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I think the explanation is rather simple, actually. TEC is still attractive to some women of naive but sincere women of faith who wish to serve God. In their naivity, they believe that only TEC and a few other churches “get it” about women. Once in the system however, some incident occurs that opens their eyes to whom they have aligned with. For example, they may try to implement some reasonable policy or progam within their parishes and discover that they have inadvertantly crossed someone’s true agenda. Cognitave dissonance is gradually replaced by a realization that these “englightened” progressives are really just manipulative and self-interested, and certainly not Christ-centered. Concurrently some ordained women will pursue theology sincerely, and in the process stray from the assigned reading list and venture into the Fathers and other good books. Eventually, this will lead them to some form of traditional catholicism. Also, I suppose that some may read the reformers and move toward a more traditional protestant denomination, but I am just speculating on this last point.

Your logic sounds clear and straight. I wonder if those three, and other priestesses, have it. Seems almost too good to be true.

Women's lib sure sold us women a bill of goods, that is, if men were doing it, women had to do it also, no exceptions.
Not true, of course, but believed by SO many women....and some men.

How WRONG can we women be about some things? Lol. Let me count the ways....

Regarding your speculation, that may be correct too, as women, always individuals, may take ANY path at ANY time for ANY reason. Your speculative path is as good as any.

I find it interesting that in the evangelical/charismatic wing of the Episcopalianism (admittedly many of whom are now Anglican) priestesses are often accepted. Mainly it's the Anglo-Catholic types who've held the line on that...

I must be an ultra-conservative, as I'm evangelical (and even just a tad charismatic--not cessationist by any means) AND I believe Scripture, Tradition and Reason are united in reserving the priesthood for men.

Some of us are just odd ducks I guess....

C.S. Lewis's essay, "Priestesses in the Church?" is pretty unassailble, as far as the Reason argument goes, IMHO.

(by the way, I've looked for it for years on the net, and this is the first time I've found it.... Well worth printing for your feminist-brainwashed, post-modernist friends....)