Hit show ‘The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’ has taken the world, and consequently all of social media, by storm. Full of twists, turns, and TikTok scandals, this situation raises the question: how do religion and media interact, and if “any publicity” is truly “good publicity”?
Jen Affleck, one of the main stars of the show, had recently hinted that she may be divorcing her husband. Whilst this rumor is still up in the air, as she was seen flashing her wedding and engagement bands in a later video, this was enough to stir up a conversation. The Mormon Church, also known as the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), has been known to discourage divorce, and with how big the show has gotten, are the cast members supposed to be upholding ‘traditional’ Mormon values?
The show’s cast members have a very large online presence, and as a result, they are now many people’s first interaction with the LDS Church. Whilst many see exposure as a good thing, there are mixed opinions about whether this show is good representation for Mormonism, due to the many controversies of its cast members. Some members of the Mormon community believe that the show does not accurately portray the lives of women in the Church, and that it approaches topics like sex, alcohol, and gambling with very “casual” attitudes – something that does not align with traditional Mormon Values. Others have spoken out saying that this is an accurate representation of parts of the community, namely influencer Aspyn Ovard, who has recently been involved in a Mormon-adjacent divorce scandal of her own.
Media is an extremely powerful tool nowadays and topics such as religion should be approached with caution. Not only in the interest of the consumers, but all involved. The church has pushed back against ‘entertainment media’ in an effort to avoid the “sensationalism” of the church warping their sacred beliefs. Additionally, modern media can sometimes glamourize certain aspects of life – struggles should not be overlooked, yet they are not given as much screen time. Proper representation of such topics should be informative, and show everything, as misinformation can have massive repercussions on all involved. At the end of the day, “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” is a reality show, and should be taken with a grain of salt. But for many viewers, this is their first exposure to Mormonism, a responsibility that should not be taken lightly by producers and content creators. Media revolves around clicks and views, but is Religion the appropriate vessel for this?
Illustration by Niyah Lawrence
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Thank God for Media?
Hit show ‘The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’ has taken the world, and consequently all of social media, by storm. Full of twists, turns, and TikTok scandals, this situation raises the question: how do religion and media interact, and if “any publicity” is truly “good publicity”?
Jen Affleck, one of the main stars of the show, had recently hinted that she may be divorcing her husband. Whilst this rumor is still up in the air, as she was seen flashing her wedding and engagement bands in a later video, this was enough to stir up a conversation. The Mormon Church, also known as the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), has been known to discourage divorce, and with how big the show has gotten, are the cast members supposed to be upholding ‘traditional’ Mormon values?
The show’s cast members have a very large online presence, and as a result, they are now many people’s first interaction with the LDS Church. Whilst many see exposure as a good thing, there are mixed opinions about whether this show is good representation for Mormonism, due to the many controversies of its cast members. Some members of the Mormon community believe that the show does not accurately portray the lives of women in the Church, and that it approaches topics like sex, alcohol, and gambling with very “casual” attitudes – something that does not align with traditional Mormon Values. Others have spoken out saying that this is an accurate representation of parts of the community, namely influencer Aspyn Ovard, who has recently been involved in a Mormon-adjacent divorce scandal of her own.
Media is an extremely powerful tool nowadays and topics such as religion should be approached with caution. Not only in the interest of the consumers, but all involved. The church has pushed back against ‘entertainment media’ in an effort to avoid the “sensationalism” of the church warping their sacred beliefs. Additionally, modern media can sometimes glamourize certain aspects of life – struggles should not be overlooked, yet they are not given as much screen time. Proper representation of such topics should be informative, and show everything, as misinformation can have massive repercussions on all involved. At the end of the day, “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” is a reality show, and should be taken with a grain of salt. But for many viewers, this is their first exposure to Mormonism, a responsibility that should not be taken lightly by producers and content creators. Media revolves around clicks and views, but is Religion the appropriate vessel for this?
Illustration by Niyah Lawrence
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