The concept of a television series about swinging Mormon TikTok creators is enough to send a Victorian child into a coma. Yet, “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” has had a chokehold on American TV watchers for years, and with a new season that just premiered, it’s hard to escape the presence of these messy Mormon mothers. Some may view this show as just another trashy reality show. However, love it or hate it, “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” has left an undeniable cultural impact.
In case you’re not as well-versed with reality television as I am, “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” revolves around a TikTok group called “MomTok,” which is made up of Mormon mothers who rose to fame in 2022 when two members of the group were involved in a swinging scandal. Since then, with the help of their own TV show, the members of MomTok have become household names, scoring brand deals, making appearances on The Tonight Show and even competing on the latest season of “Dancing with the Stars.” Fans have been absolutely obsessed with the tumultuous lives of these women, and the third season has been highly anticipated for quite some time.
Season 2 of “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” concluded with a dramatic cliffhanger: the revelation that Jessi Ngatikaura had been having an affair with “Vanderpump Villa” star Marciano Brunette. This affair and Ngatikaura’s struggling marriage is one of the most noteworthy topics in Season 3. The latest season also features self-proclaimed leader of MomTok, Taylor Frankie Paul, and her turbulent relationship with baby daddy Dakota Mortensen. Also featured are Mikayla Matthews’ struggles with sexual abuse, as well as the pregnancies of Matthews, Jen Affleck and Mayci Neeley. It’s safe to say this new season is packed full of drama that reality TV fans will not want to miss.
I’m well aware of the fact that this show is not everyone’s cup of tea; it probably seems extremely messy and a little ridiculous to most people. However, no matter how you feel about it, “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” has left a profound cultural impact and has changed the way that society views the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The church has historically emphasized many values — including modesty, traditional gender roles and purity — which many people outside of the church viewed as strict. The “Mormon Wives,” however, are flipping these stereotypes by contradicting many of the church’s core values. The show depicts a complete reversal of typical Mormon gender roles, as these women are the breadwinners of their families and often act as head of the house. Additionally, contrary to the Mormon standard of marriage, many of these women are single mothers, had children out of wedlock or have children with multiple different fathers. Throughout Season 3 especially, “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” touched on a multitude of taboo subjects for the church. Infidelity is a large topic in this new season, alongside discussions of sexual abuse and mental health. This show has constantly been pushing the boundaries on what is accepted in the church and has drastically changed the way that the outside world views Mormons.
“The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” and its complementary cultural impacts have garnered mixed reviews from the public. Reality TV fanatics find themselves enthralled by the lives of these women and the coinciding drama. Additionally, people have often praised this show and MomTok for flipping the narrative surrounding the Mormon way of life. As for some actual practicing Mormons, though, it’s a different story. Many practicing Mormons have spoken out online, criticizing the show for its inaccurate portrayal of Mormonism and for smearing the church’s image. Rather than advancing the church, many believe that “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” is destroying this religion’s reputation.
Despite the initial controversy that catapulted the Mormon Wives into fame, “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” isn’t just another reality show revolving around scandal; it has dramatically reshaped the way that the public views the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. These women’s contradictions of accepted Mormon stereotypes completely redefine the idea of what it means to be a Mormon woman.
