We’re Taking This “Mormon” Trend Too Far

In this episode of ICYMI, host Kate Lindsay and guest Alyssa Grenfell, an ex-Mormon content creator, dissect the growing trend of 'Mormon' as a pop culture aesthetic, sparked by Hulu's announcement of a spinoff to 'Secret Lives of Mormon Wives' titled 'Orange County.' Grenfell expresses disbelief at the cast, noting that only about half are actually Mormon, with many being Internet influencers who have no deep religious ties. She critiques how the term 'Mormon' is now used as a shorthand for a specific lifestyle—white, blonde, motherhood-focused, affluent—regardless of actual faith. The conversation explores the tension between the mainstream LDS Church's traditional values and the performative, often contradictory image presented by influencers. Grenfell also reflects on the dark undercurrents of Mormonism, drawing parallels between the mainstream church and the FLDS sect exposed in the Netflix documentary 'Trust Me: The False Prophet,' which revealed child sexual abuse and polygamy. She warns that romanticizing 'Mormon' culture as a glamorous, wholesome ideal ignores its history of patriarchy, racism, and systemic control, and risks glorifying trauma by turning survivors into viral icons. The episode ultimately questions whether this trend is a harmless fascination or a dangerous commodification of a deeply problematic ideology.