Mayci Neeley celebrates all the different lifestyles enjoyed by people within the Mormon Church.
Mayci and fellow MomTok influencer Taylor Frankie Paul appeared on View on Thursday, September 12, where The Secret Lives of Mormon Women stars cleared up some of the misconceptions surrounding their show and faith.
When Sara Haines asked about the biggest misconceptions they’ve heard about their church, Mayci mentioned the outdated and inaccurate stereotypes that Mormons are “polygamists” and “wear hats,” explaining, “We’re modern Mormons; they’re not all that cute.”
“You can be Mormon and wear a tank top. You can be Mormon and be more of a merchant. You can do anything. So I think that’s what we’re showing,” she said.
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Guest co-host Chelsea Clinton then asked about the “traditional expectations that exist within [their] community,” and how their feelings about the “expectations” placed upon them have changed.
“I feel like I’ve never felt super traditional,” Mayci explained. “I think I was raised in my household, I grew up in California, and I say the Mormon culture in California is very different from Utah. So for me, it didn’t feel any different. I just lived. I’m not a traditional girl; I just didn’t follow the traditional church norms.”
Joking that she doesn’t really “follow the rules,” Taylor added, “I did what I wanted to do, but I still went to church on Sundays. And I think that was the message that we wanted everyone to live different lives. You see the devout member , and then you see someone who has left the church.”
They explained that their goal in doing the show was to reject the idea that Mormons behave and think a certain way as a monolith. “We don’t want to represent the church. We’re just telling our story,” Taylor said.
Speaking to PEOPLE ahead of the series premiere, Mayci said that while she wasn’t involved in the MomTok light-rocking scandal, “I used to have fun, do all kinds of things.”
“I think I learned from those experiences what was good for me and what wasn’t good for me, and I learned a lot from that time in general. So I’m glad I did it because I experienced it. I’m a curious person. I kind of have to live my life by trial and error and I think I’ve figured out what I want from that.”
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education