I’m a “visitor” of the church for over two years and the wife of a dedicated LDS man, from the north east. I grew up non secular but have studied many faiths and genuinely enjoy going to church every Sunday. I haven’t been baptized yet but the unifying love of Jesus in my church keeps me grounded and wanting to come back. I’ve made meaningful friendships with other mothers and women, and look forward to relief society meetings. Watching this show was utterly shocking, not one single woman in my ward is even remotely represented by this show. It’s like opposite worlds. I’ve had so many meaningful conversations, not a single one ever involved going out, sex, partying, or drinking. They don’t even drink coffee let alone wine. They are conservative, but not stifled. I think this show is spinning a narrative that to be a modern Mormon is to be absolutely raunchy and depressed! The women I know are so fundamentally just happy, flourishing in their communities and putting as much positivity into the world as they take. As conservative as they are they do not judge me for not dropping coffee, for having wine, for getting pregnant outside of marriage…. And we still share stories and laugh and have wonderful gatherings. To be a modern Mormon woman to me, means to be accepting of people who are different, love thy neighbor, and nourish those closest to you… It doesn’t mean accepting a lifestyle of complete debauchery and putting having fun, your looks, and gossip over the well being of your own family. I’m in disbelief!!
Catherine GettmanSeptember 21, 2024
Wonderful article. I heard about this show. I have no desire to watch such lies about my faith n the church of jesus christ of latter day saints. I am a convert of over 50 years. I know it, i live it, i love it.
Frederick CarlSeptember 20, 2024
I am so glad an LDS woman had something to say about this raunchy show. Next, the woman on the show are going to start promoting the benefits of their Only Fans accounts and all young women should do it.
Bravo Sister Proctor.
Suzette HaltermanSeptember 20, 2024
The saying "don't judge a book by its cover" exists for a reason. This whole article is simply about the trailer for the show, but the actual show is nothing like the trailer. It was, and still might be, Hulu's number one watched show in America and there's a good reason for that. Yes, some of it is just stupid reality TV that makes you feel dumber for watching it, but some of it actually hits on some really important themes that are I think are really important too discuss more
in our LDS culture. I actually really enjoyed the show because it's very thought-provoking in a lot of ways. Some of the themes I find fascinating for discussion about this show are: Gen Z spirituality and what we understand about it, perfectionism and plastic surgery for LDS women and why that is, the current tension between a patriarchal church and a modern world for women, purity culture and how it impacts women in so many ways, and so much more! I have listened to women with PhD's and masters degrees in theology having conversations about this show because there's a lot going on beneath the surface of it all that matters a lot to broader cultural discussion within religious spaces. I have heard evangelical and catholic women talking about the show and the ways that it resonated with their experiences as women within Christianity. There's a lot more than meets the eye here, so I would say don't judge the show by its trailer, which doesn't actually represent the show well at all, and listen to the useful and productive conversations that happened around this show. While not everyone might like the show or want to watch it, just know that it's a big hit for some good reasons in that beyond the drama factor of reality tv, it also brings up some important cultural discussions. So maybe the fact that these discussions are happening because of this show is a good thing and we don't need to get so upset about the trailer for it!
Sasha KwapinskiSeptember 20, 2024
I venture to say that we would never hear of a TV show entitled "The Secret Lives of Hindu (or Moslem, Buddhist, Sikh, or Shinto) women."
Robert StarlingSeptember 20, 2024
Well said, Mariah. You're an eloquent spokeswoman for the Latter-day Saint faith, lifestyle and worldview. I hope you look up the writers and producers in the show's credits and send them each a copy of this article. An open letter to the LA Times, Variety, and Hollywood Reporter would also be a good idea.
Gary C JohnsonSeptember 20, 2024
I'm with Tim....never heard of this trash until now. I thought it referred to that other video excrement, Real Housewives of SLC. They should have called THAT one, Real Housewives of the Mountain West. Do any of those women really have anything but a flirting acquaintance with the Church? Every time I see/hear of these programs my reaction is, "Here we go again...". Seems the only societal group that continues to be open to bigotry and ridicule are Latter-Day Saints. C 'mon people, get a life. Thanks to Mariah for exposing yet another exploitative venture into misinformation and untruth.
HelenCSeptember 20, 2024
Thank you. “You can protect yourself from a cliff with a fence at the top or an ambulance at the bottom” I’d my new fav quote.
TimSeptember 20, 2024
I had never even heard of this program before reading this article, but what a powerful article it is. Will definitely share this article.
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Noelle McKinneyMay 16, 2025
I’m a “visitor” of the church for over two years and the wife of a dedicated LDS man, from the north east. I grew up non secular but have studied many faiths and genuinely enjoy going to church every Sunday. I haven’t been baptized yet but the unifying love of Jesus in my church keeps me grounded and wanting to come back. I’ve made meaningful friendships with other mothers and women, and look forward to relief society meetings. Watching this show was utterly shocking, not one single woman in my ward is even remotely represented by this show. It’s like opposite worlds. I’ve had so many meaningful conversations, not a single one ever involved going out, sex, partying, or drinking. They don’t even drink coffee let alone wine. They are conservative, but not stifled. I think this show is spinning a narrative that to be a modern Mormon is to be absolutely raunchy and depressed! The women I know are so fundamentally just happy, flourishing in their communities and putting as much positivity into the world as they take. As conservative as they are they do not judge me for not dropping coffee, for having wine, for getting pregnant outside of marriage…. And we still share stories and laugh and have wonderful gatherings. To be a modern Mormon woman to me, means to be accepting of people who are different, love thy neighbor, and nourish those closest to you… It doesn’t mean accepting a lifestyle of complete debauchery and putting having fun, your looks, and gossip over the well being of your own family. I’m in disbelief!!
Catherine GettmanSeptember 21, 2024
Wonderful article. I heard about this show. I have no desire to watch such lies about my faith n the church of jesus christ of latter day saints. I am a convert of over 50 years. I know it, i live it, i love it.
Frederick CarlSeptember 20, 2024
I am so glad an LDS woman had something to say about this raunchy show. Next, the woman on the show are going to start promoting the benefits of their Only Fans accounts and all young women should do it. Bravo Sister Proctor.
Suzette HaltermanSeptember 20, 2024
The saying "don't judge a book by its cover" exists for a reason. This whole article is simply about the trailer for the show, but the actual show is nothing like the trailer. It was, and still might be, Hulu's number one watched show in America and there's a good reason for that. Yes, some of it is just stupid reality TV that makes you feel dumber for watching it, but some of it actually hits on some really important themes that are I think are really important too discuss more in our LDS culture. I actually really enjoyed the show because it's very thought-provoking in a lot of ways. Some of the themes I find fascinating for discussion about this show are: Gen Z spirituality and what we understand about it, perfectionism and plastic surgery for LDS women and why that is, the current tension between a patriarchal church and a modern world for women, purity culture and how it impacts women in so many ways, and so much more! I have listened to women with PhD's and masters degrees in theology having conversations about this show because there's a lot going on beneath the surface of it all that matters a lot to broader cultural discussion within religious spaces. I have heard evangelical and catholic women talking about the show and the ways that it resonated with their experiences as women within Christianity. There's a lot more than meets the eye here, so I would say don't judge the show by its trailer, which doesn't actually represent the show well at all, and listen to the useful and productive conversations that happened around this show. While not everyone might like the show or want to watch it, just know that it's a big hit for some good reasons in that beyond the drama factor of reality tv, it also brings up some important cultural discussions. So maybe the fact that these discussions are happening because of this show is a good thing and we don't need to get so upset about the trailer for it!
Sasha KwapinskiSeptember 20, 2024
I venture to say that we would never hear of a TV show entitled "The Secret Lives of Hindu (or Moslem, Buddhist, Sikh, or Shinto) women."
Robert StarlingSeptember 20, 2024
Well said, Mariah. You're an eloquent spokeswoman for the Latter-day Saint faith, lifestyle and worldview. I hope you look up the writers and producers in the show's credits and send them each a copy of this article. An open letter to the LA Times, Variety, and Hollywood Reporter would also be a good idea.
Gary C JohnsonSeptember 20, 2024
I'm with Tim....never heard of this trash until now. I thought it referred to that other video excrement, Real Housewives of SLC. They should have called THAT one, Real Housewives of the Mountain West. Do any of those women really have anything but a flirting acquaintance with the Church? Every time I see/hear of these programs my reaction is, "Here we go again...". Seems the only societal group that continues to be open to bigotry and ridicule are Latter-Day Saints. C 'mon people, get a life. Thanks to Mariah for exposing yet another exploitative venture into misinformation and untruth.
HelenCSeptember 20, 2024
Thank you. “You can protect yourself from a cliff with a fence at the top or an ambulance at the bottom” I’d my new fav quote.
TimSeptember 20, 2024
I had never even heard of this program before reading this article, but what a powerful article it is. Will definitely share this article.
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