The drama kicks off with Taylor Frankie Paul, the influencer who sparked "MomTok" by uniting a group of Mormon moms on TikTok. Picture: Screengrab
What’s the buzz around a show with Mormon mom, TikTok stars and a scandalous sex affair? Quite a lot!
The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives launched on Hulu on Friday. This series dives into the lives of current and former members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), exploring controversies like alcohol consumption, unwed pregnancies, male strip shows, and partner-swapping.
The drama kicks off with Taylor Frankie Paul, the influencer who sparked “MomTok” by uniting a group of Mormon moms on TikTok. With many members boasting millions of followers with lucrative sponsorships for sharing glimpses into their lives, Paul made headlines in 2022 when she revealed her divorce, citing a breach of her open marriage’s terms. She also disclosed her and her ex-husband’s involvement in “soft swinging” within their Utah community, which included swapping partners.
The show focuses heavily on the fallout from Paul’s revelations, including her subsequent pregnancy with boyfriend Dakota Mortensen, whom she started dating while still married, CNN reported.
After eight episodes of this Hulu series, it’s evident that while most group members weren’t swingers, many found themselves battling rumours to the contrary. The series unveils ongoing trust issues within the group, leading to some friendships unravelling.
When TIME approached Paul, who has 4.1 million TikTok followers, for further comment on the swinging rumours, she was cautious about revealing too much to avoid identifying those involved. However, she did clarify that she wasn’t the only one engaged in the rumours.
“There were a lot of fingers pointed at me; as if I was the only one to instigate and participate, and I don’t know how that would even be possible,” Paul said. “I wasn’t the only one. It was a group thing. Everyone made their own decisions. We’re all adults here.”
Paul says there’s this stigma that all Mormons are supposed to live the same way or do life the same way. She adds that the point of their show is that there are so many different ways of living Mormonism. “It’s a spectrum.”
While many Mormons are seen as traditional housewives, several #MomTok influencers are breaking the mould as the primary earners in their families. Thanks to brand deals and their massive social media followings, they play a crucial role in their family’s income.
In the series, #MomTok star Mayci Neeley, who boasts 1.3 million TikTok followers, is hosting a launch party for her new line of “Babymama” prenatal vitamins, designed for expecting moms.
The women hope that Mormon viewers will relate to the show and feel empowered. Neeley shares with TIME, “Our aim is for those who might feel disconnected—like those who think they’re not enough for the church because they drink—to relate to us and realise they are worthy. We hope the show inspires them and reinforces their sense of self-worth.”
Although the LDS has not directly addressed “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” it appeared to reference the show in a statement posted on their website the day the trailer was released last month.
“The LDS, like other prominent global faith communities, often finds itself the focus of the attention of the entertainment industry. Some portrayals are fair and accurate, but others resort to stereotypes or gross misrepresentations that are in poor taste and have real-life consequences for people of faith,” the statement read.
“We understand the fascination some in the media have with the church, but regret that portrayals often rely on sensationalism and inaccuracies that do not fairly and fully reflect the lives of our church members or the sacred beliefs that they hold dear.”
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