MomTok is the gift that keeps on giving. Obviously, I’m not talking about the little dance routines and Mormon preaching. I’m talking about RSV dances, on-camera arrests, Tinder cheating reveals, and YES, THE MOMTOK SWINGING SCANDAL. Like, it’s one thing for a bunch of influencers to reveal that they’ve been doing each other’s partners, but for the devout Mormons to be doing it? You could not write this shit, trust me, I’ve tried. The entire swinging scandal is a bit confusing, especially now that certain members are speaking out years later. Since that viral live stream, we’ve had The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives and various other MomTok dramas to deal with. Here’s the latest update on the MomTok Soft Swinging drama.
Yes, There Is More MomTok Soft Swinging Drama
@kenna.gibbonsJust so we’re clear, she knew who the text came from, per our conversation. Also, interesting that she knew I was having moral anxiety about the swinging. Why would I come on here to try and hide from anything? I never denied my actions in ANY of it, in fact I said I DID participate. I will continue to take responsibility for MY actions and decisions, how they were wrong, and how they opened up a mess I wasn’t prepared for. However, I refuse to be the scapegoat for their affair. At the end of the day, wrong is wrong, no matter how easy the opportunity is.♬ original sound – Kenna
Last week Kenna Gibbons posted a five-part series discussing her experience with the swinging group. She states that she is “ashamed” to have ever participated in the swinging and said that it led to her divorcing her now ex-husband, who she claimed had an “affair” with one of the wives in the group…. AKA Taylor. Makenna doesn’t name any of the moms involved, but Taylor decides to do it for her.
“She never asked to stop, she was one of the instigators and sent her husband to get me, but tell your side sis,” Taylor wrote on TikTok. The video includes the caption, “Well, she deserves an acting award. The amount of times SHE wanted to play.”
She also shares footage of the two of them kissing — wowza — and text messages where Makenna says she is “drunk” and wishes she was kissing her. Taylor discussed it further during a storytime on her TikTok. Taylor is not holding back, no one is safe now. Since Taylor clapped back, Kenna has since responded with additional “receipts.” Does your head hurt too?
We might have to wait until season 2 of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives to learn more. In the meantime, here’s a Fruity Pebbles-flavored timeline of the MomTok swinging scandal.
Timeline Of Mormon MomTok’s Swinging Scandal
Early 2022 — The Rise of “MomTok”
Let’s go back to the beginning. To understand the madness of the Mormon swinging scandal, you must first recognize the environment in which it was bred. We’re heading back to early 2022. This was the year of the Oscars slap, Elon Musk buying Twitter, and negroni spagliatos. It was also the year of MomTok.
A group of Mormon women on TikTok, collectively known as “MomTok,” had been gaining popularity for sharing relatable content about motherhood, marriage, and family life. But let’s be real; everyone mainly tuned in for the cutesy dance clips and hot bods. Before this, they weren’t really anyone, and then they became known only as a cohesive group. It was hard to differentiate between them all in their athleisure wear, long curls, and identical beige houses. They projected a wholesome, family-friendly image aligned with Mormon cultural values.
These weren’t just the moms you’ve come to recognize from Hulu’s hit show. Taylor Frankie Paul was there, along with Camille Munday, Makenna Gibbons, and Miranda McWhorter. The moms would sometimes even jokingly call themselves “Sister Wives” — oh, this gets ironic.
Other big names who were later part of the hit show include Jessi Ngatikaura, Mikayla Matthews, Mayci Neeley, Demi Engemann, Layla Taylor, Jen Affleck, and Whitney Leavitt.
May 2022 — The Revelations of Taylor
All was going well, perhaps too well, when shit hit the fan in May 2022. Taylor posted a TikTok announcing that she was separating from her husband, Tate Paul. Iconically, it was to “Malibu” by Miley Cyrus and featured the text, “In my twenties, getting divorced, started therapy, living on my own for the first time ever along with two little kids.”
@taylorfrankiepaulAn unfortunate announcement♬ Malibu – Miley Cyrus
Obviously, the internet was SHOCKED. Some didn’t know that Mormons could even get divorced (which they obviously can… right??). Fans began speculating what had caused the breakdown of their seemingly perfect marriage. Guesses ran wild, especially when Taylor posted a video with moving boxes and text overlaid, which read, “My life falling apart. And I can’t even speak on why … without bringing them all down with me.” Rumors suggest Taylor was a homewrecker.
But unlike other celebs that forever keep us guessing, Taylor revealed ALL. You think I overshare? Nah, girlie, Taylor is the blueprint for oversharing. On the 25th of May 2022, she went on a livestream revealing that she and her husband were in an open relationship. Not only that, but they were part of a swinging group with the other couples of MomTok. She didn’t share names (and didn’t need to) but explained the couples in this group engaged in “soft swinging,” whereby they weren’t permitted to go “all the way” with another individual unless their spouse was in the room. “Everyone has hooked up with like everyone,” she said.
Taylor admitted that she had violated the group’s policy and gone “all the way” with one of the group members, confessing the pair “had feelings for each other” but that it only happened once. This, among other things, led to her marriage breaking up.
May – June 2022 — The Fallout of Swinging
Mormon TikTok moms have been swinging together? What in the Wattpad?! As you can imagine, the internet went wild with this revelation. And as you can also imagine, her pals weren’t keen on this truth bomb. Taylor later shared that she had been “shunned” from that friendship group but insisted that the “majority” of MomTok wasn’t involved.
Later in the show, the participating moms shared their frustrations with Taylor about this reveal, as they claim people assumed they were part of the swinging. There were also scenes where various moms asked each other if they were aware of what was happening. Demi stated that she didn’t participate but saw it happen, “It was like swapping in front of each other, standing right next to each other.”
TikTok sleuths go wild trying to work out who was involved, as each mom rushes to state they were not a part of the swinging. Critics accuse Taylor of oversharing and using the drama to boost her social media following, while supporters praise her for being candid about a taboo topic. For the record, I definitely don’t judge the swinging, you gotta keep things spicy!! As long as it’s consensual.
Late 2022 — The Push Forward
Love or hate Taylor, you can’t claim she swung it and quit it. The girlie stuck around. Taylor continued to share content about her life post-divorce, including co-parenting and dating as a single mom. Other MomTok members distance themselves from the scandal and Taylor but return to their usual content with a lower profile.
At some point in 2022, Taylor begins dating Dakota Mortensen and includes him in her TikTok content.
February 2023 — The Filming Commences
We now know that this is when filming started for Hulu’s The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. However, in February, Taylor was arrested on misdemeanor charges of assault, criminal mischief, and commission of domestic violence in the presence of a child, according to the Herriman Police Department. Body cam footage of her being drunkenly arrested was included in the first episode of the show — true reality TV. The TikToker pleaded guilty in August 2023 to aggravated assault, and the other charges were dismissed. Filming was put on hold.
Winter 2024 — The Filming Restarts
Episode two of the show picks up months later when Taylor is heavily pregnant with Dakota’s child. The show carries on, acknowledging Taylor’s reveal and her arrest. The swinging is referenced in the show, but it appears only Taylor participated. The show does not name the other swingers.
September 2024 — The Show is Released
The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives is released on the 6th of September 2024, and it immediately begins trending. Aside from the highly memeable content — Fruity Pebbles, ketamine, and Whitney’s many hairstyles — viewers tune in to find out what went down with the swinging.
Two former MomTok members, and rumored participants of the swinging, speak up on their lack of involvement in the show. Both Miranda and Camille claim they chose not to appear despite being approached. Miranda said that her absence from the show stemmed from disagreements with its direction, asserting she declined to participate if Taylor was included. Taylor refuted this and said Miranda had other reasons for not joining.
November 2024 — The Receipts are Revealed
@kenna.gibbonsI share these things in hopes others can learn from my mistakes. While I am not proud of my decisions back then, I have learned and grown so much from these experiences, it’s hard to wish anything different. Be kind, we’re all humans learning and living for the first time 🫶🏼♬ original sound – Kenna
For some reason, Makenna Gibbons decides now is the time to enter the spotlight and out herself leading us full circle.
