We all know the Mormon community lives some pretty secretive lives, but I don’t think anyone had any idea just how seedy some of the tales could be in Hulu’s new series. In the Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, the stakes are high, and the couples are swapping partners and probably a little spit, thanks to all the kissing. I am starting to think that not everyone thought the open relationship concept through as surely some egos would be bruised.
What is #momtok?
Simply put, #MomTok is an online community, specifically on TikTok, shaped by a group of Mormon influencers in Utah. The group of “cool moms” rose to fame on social media for their lifestyle and parenting content. But it’s way more than that. The women are all young brides, mothers, and primarily followers or former followers of the Mormon Church. Each influencer, Taylor Frankie Paul, Whitney Leavitt, Layla Taylor, Demi Engemann, Mayci Neeley, Jessi Ngatikaura, and Jenn Affleck, all look alike. It’s not quite like the Fundamentalist Mormons who all wear pastel prairie dresses, but it’s damn close. Each of the women has long hair extensions, except Whitney. Each of the women wears a lot of make-up. All of them are wearing the coolest new clothes. Each has amassed an online following that pays the bills and makes them the breadwinner of their homesteads. Honestly, they could all be clones.
What started as a harmless and fun side hustle has turned sour. The videos were meant to capitalize on trending topics or audio, not drive wedges between friendships. But it’s all fun and games until the group decides to vote one of the queen bees out unanimously.
The swinger scandal
It was only two years ago that a sex scandal shook the foundation of the Utah moms. Their online subculture of mom talk was thriving, but they just couldn’t keep it in their pants. For the stars of the Hulu show, their social media platform was all about breaking stereotypes and showing other women that just cause they are moms, it doesn’t mean your life as you know it is over. These particular Mormon influencers were a mix of achievers. One owned a hair empire; another was a Division I athlete. Each brought a unique representation to their reels.
But Taylor let her girls down when she spilled the tea during a TikTok video that left everyone in the small community spiraling. Taylor looked to have one of the best marriages, but in a reel that was just a bit too real, she shared she would be divorcing her husband—the reason: infidelity. But it wasn’t your run-of-the-mill cheating; this was soft swinging. Taylor explained that she, her husband, and their group of friends had all agreed to swap spouses. Even though Taylor was allowed to have some fun, she didn’t have permission to go all the way. In the end, she violated the terms of the agreement and had sex. Not only was she husbandless, but her friends were also not happy.
The Mormon fallout
During the first episode, there was massive speculation about who else was a soft swinger, though no one copped to fooling around. But followers couldn’t help but think that some of the other #MomTok influencers were also involved. As the season went on, Taylor found herself back in the good graces of the women. It could have helped that she was also pregnant with her lover’s baby, but I digress. Whitney, however, was not pleased. She tried her best to make a move for the top spot but was toppled right at the finish line.
Whitney became the ice queen of the group as she tried to alienate Taylor. But the rest of the women were intelligent. They saw what Whitney was doing. In a surprising move, the group reunited but made sure to leave Whitney out in the cold. It became apparent that Whitney wanted to build her following and get likes. The only other star who talks to Whitney is Mayci. The two are currently doing their press tours together. When you think of it, it seems silly to have a falling out over social media, but it was a reality for these women.
Watch The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives on Hulu.
TELL US – HAVE YOU WATCHED THE SECRET LIVES OF MORMON WIVES?
