For the men they love, they are ready to give up their careers.
The reality show "The Secret Life of Mormon Wives" continues to gain popularity on social media, where the wives of followers of the Mormon church share details of their lives with their believing husbands. Just three days after the first episode aired, the program became the most viewed on the streaming service Hulu, leading to an immediate renewal for a second season. The scandalous show has exploded on social media: while some call for saving women from captivity, others believe their image of a "traditional wife" is a calculated way to earn millions from viewers' sympathy. What is really happening in Mormon marriages was explored by Lenta.ru.
Who is a Mormon wife?
Mormons refer to themselves as followers of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was founded by Joseph Smith in 1830 in the United States. Mormons revere the Bible, but at the same time believe that God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit are three separate real persons.
Mormons typically dedicate their lives to active missionary work and adhere to strict restrictions, including abstaining from coffee, tea, tobacco, meat, and alcohol. It is also important for them to be married and have a large, strong family, although polygamy is officially prohibited.
In marriage, Mormons usually set rules for their wives: they should not work but must take care of the home and children. The appearance of women is also controlled by their husbands: they typically perform household duties in dresses below the knee and with sleeves to the elbow, rejecting overt sexuality. Makeup is welcomed, but strictly in neutral tones.
However, modern Mormon wives, in pursuit of income and popularity, are breaking traditional rules, increasingly moving away from the classic image of a trad wife. Bloggers in luxurious outfits from high-end brands create cooking videos and offer advice on family cohesion.
Thanks to videos with the hashtag #MomTok, social media has even seen the emergence of women's communities of the same name, which include hundreds of thousands of women worldwide. Their goal is to dismantle stereotypical perceptions of Mormon wives.
Writer and actress Sadaf Ahsan explains the phenomenon of such communities by the availability of free time for "traditional wives" and their desire to be in the spotlight — at least in the online space.
Who popularizes the trad wife phenomenon?
Hannah Neumann, who became the titleholder of "Mrs. America" in 2023, traded her dream of becoming a ballerina for family life on a farm with her husband Daniel Neumann, who grew up in a Mormon family. His father, David Neumann, is a billionaire and founder of several major airlines, including JetBlue.
Before the wedding, Hannah was little acquainted with her future husband and refused to date him for six months, as she was then studying at a dance school. However, thanks to her father's connections, Daniel managed to secure a date with her, and just two months after their first meeting, she married him, and three months later, she became pregnant.
"I gave up dancing, which was a difficult decision. I gave up part of myself. But Daniel also gave up his career ambitions," Hannah stated in an interview with Times, where she was dubbed the "queen of traditional wives" online.
However, journalist Megan Agnew noted hypocrisy in the blogger's words. In her opinion, Daniel, unlike his wife, achieved all his desires and goals.
After the publication of the scandalous interview, Hannah was bombarded with negative comments from followers who were convinced that she was merely creating the appearance of a happy family life on the farm. On TikTok, there were even calls to save Hannah from marital captivity, but she ignored such comments.
Some users tried to support Hannah, noting that her blog is the only place where she can feel free from Daniel. Others reminded that Hannah Neumann lives with the heir to a billion-dollar empire and certainly does not need sympathy.
Hannah's social media colleague, former model Nara Aziza Smith, despite being married to a follower of Mormonism, has turned blogging into a job. She has 4.7 million followers on Instagram who follow her creative endeavors.
The influencer posts daily videos of cooking dishes and drinks, appearing on camera with perfect makeup and hairstyle, preferring outfits exclusively from luxury brands. Among her favorites are J'amemme and Selezza London, with items costing at least 1,250 euros.
Blogger Esti Williams even considers the status of a Mormon wife her calling. Having given up a career as a meteorologist, she became a housewife and started her personal blog, finding a bright twist for her content: she films cooking and cleaning videos exclusively in 1950s-style dresses, an apron, and with her hair styled in curlers.
"I believe my calling is to be a keeper of the home. Some try to present this phenomenon in a sinister light or give it some other, darker meaning," she said, emphasizing that she does not impose her point of view on other women.
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