Girlscamp

We’re doing a bread-and-butter Girlscamp submission episode today: church mission stories. We’re chatting about crazy (and sometimes dangerous) companions, bizarre proselytizing run-ins, and what happens when you tell the Mormon missionaries you don’t believe in Joseph Smith. Come along for the ride! Crazy Mormon Mission Stories episode STALKED on a Mormon Mission episode Sister Missionary Snapchat ad Join the Girlscamp: After Dark Patreon account ⁠⁠here⁠ for two bonus episodes per month and more. For more Girlscamp content follow along on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠, ⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠. For ad inquiries please email girlscamp@saucemediagroup.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’ve got much to discuss about Netflix’s new docuseries Trust Me: The False Prophet. Watching it, I was surprised by how familiar parts of it felt. In this episode I talk through the parallels and patterns I noticed between the Samuelites, the FLDS, and mainstream Mormonism. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we’re catching up. I’ve got some life updates, big and small, to talk through with you. And, per usual, lots of thoughts and feelings about all of them. Vagus Nerve Exercises card deck Join the Girlscamp: After Dark Patreon account ⁠⁠here⁠ for two bonus episodes per month and more. For more Girlscamp content follow along on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠, ⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠. For ad inquiries please email girlscamp@saucemediagroup.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chief Mary Murdock Meyer joins Girlscamp to share the history of the Timpanogos Nation, especially where it intersects with Mormon settlement in what we now call Utah. She talks about what life looked like for her people before 1847, what changed after Mormon settlers arrived, and how that history still shapes the Timpanogos Nation. We also talk about what those of us with Utah pioneer ancestry can better understand about how to engage with this history now. Petition to rescind extermination order The Timpanogos Nation website You can follow the Timpanogos Nation on InstagramFacebookYoutubeSubstackPatreon Join the Girlscamp: After Dark Patreon account ⁠⁠here⁠ for two bonus episodes per month and more. For more Girlscamp content follow along on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠, ⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠. For ad inquiries please email girlscamp@saucemediagroup.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re talking all things Easter this week! First on the agenda: why are Mormons suddenly celebrating Holy Week? Since when was Palm Sunday a thing? Then we get into resurrection theology, fear of death, and what it looks like to celebrate Easter after religion. You can listen to the full episode on the Girlscamp: Unplugged Patreon here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Instead of asking ourselves “What Would Jesus Do?”, today we’re asking: What Would Hayley Do? I’m responding to your submitted dilemmas, talking through how useful the WWJD framework actually is as a decision-making tool, and (for fun) applying that question to some Mormon internet apologists… which doesn’t exactly go great for them. Join the Girlscamp: After Dark Patreon account ⁠⁠here⁠ for two bonus episodes per month and more. For more Girlscamp content follow along on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠, ⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠. For ad inquiries please email girlscamppodcast@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tiffany grew up in a plural marriage family within a fundamentalist Mormon group, the Apostolic United Brethren (AUB). Her mom was a fourth wife and later (after a divorce) a sixth. As a teenager, she began questioning and ultimately left the principle of polygamy, joining mainstream Mormonism and getting married. When both her faith and her marriage later unraveled, Tiffany had to start over and begin building a life on her own terms. REFERENCES “Why Does He Do That?: Inside the Minds of Angry and Controlling Men” by Lundy Bancroft “It's Not You: Identifying and Healing from Narcissistic People” By Ramani Durvasula PhD Join the Girlscamp: After Dark Patreon account ⁠⁠here⁠ for two bonus episodes per month and more. For more Girlscamp content follow along on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠, ⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠. For ad inquiries please email girlscamppodcast@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Season 4 of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives is here and you know I have THOUGHTS. In this SLOMW Season 4 recap, I’m breaking down the DadTok attempted takeover (and what it says about Mormon male culture), that wild “honor your mother” moment between Liann and Taylor Frankie Paul, what Mayci’s husband said about the priesthood, and the moment Harry Jowsey thought polygamy was a person. As an ex-Mormon, I have a lot to say and a lot of feelings, so buckle up for some ranting. “Codependent No More(Mon)” Episode YouTube “Codependent No More(Mon)” Episode Interview with Chase McWhorter Interview with Jessi Draper Join the Girlscamp: After Dark Patreon account ⁠⁠here⁠ for two bonus episodes per month and more. For more Girlscamp content follow along on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠, ⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠. For ad inquiries please email girlscamppodcast@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I’ve been swept up in the energy of the Year of the Fire Horse, but realized I didn’t really know what it was all about. So today we’re deep diving the Chinese zodiac and what this fiery horse year is supposed to bring. I also talk about if (and how) I engage with belief systems like this now that I’m post-religion. Giddy up! BBC on the Chinese Zodiac race The YouTube video on time Join the Girlscamp: After Dark Patreon account ⁠⁠here⁠ for two bonus episodes per month and more. For more Girlscamp content follow along on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠, ⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠. For ad inquiries please email girlscamppodcast@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ladies and gentlemen, we’ve got David Archuleta! From the pressure of being Mormonism’s golden boy after American Idol to embracing his sexuality and learning to trust himself, David opens up about the long road that led him to step away from Mormonism and into a whole new chapter of life. David’s book Devout David on Instagram David on TikTok Join the Girlscamp: After Dark Patreon account ⁠⁠here⁠ for two bonus episodes per month and more. For more Girlscamp content follow along on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠, ⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠. For ad inquiries please email girlscamppodcast@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Round two of your church dating stories is here! I’m equal parts entertained and concerned for all of us. These range from awkward to chaotic to maddening. If you survived church dating culture, you’re among friends here at Girlscamp. REFERENCES “What’s REALLY going on at BYU?” podcast “What’s REALLY going at BYU?” YouTube Join the Girlscamp: After Dark Patreon account ⁠⁠here⁠ for two bonus episodes per month and more. For more Girlscamp content follow along on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠, ⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠. For ad inquiries please email girlscamppodcast@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can you stay Mormon if you don’t actually believe it? Jessica Paige identifies as a secular Mormon and joins me to talk about why she stays, how she defines that label and what it actually looks like to participate in Mormon life without belief. You can find Jessica on TikTok here. Join the Girlscamp: After Dark Patreon account ⁠⁠here⁠ for two bonus episodes per month and more. For more Girlscamp content follow along on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠, ⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠. For ad inquiries please email girlscamppodcast@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Crazy church dating stories incoming! We’re talking condescending Mormon men, purity culture weirdness and the intense marriage focus in high-demand religions. More specifically: Shrek cosplay YouTube videos, a family who spiritually communicates with dragons and a Mormon guy who’s a little TOO into Harry Potter. In-N-Out at midnight TikTok Join the Girlscamp: After Dark Patreon account ⁠⁠here⁠ for two bonus episodes per month and more. For more Girlscamp content follow along on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠, ⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠. For ad inquiries please email girlscamppodcast@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today I’m diving into the Mormon POV on Mother Mary. And beyond some very ahem interesting doctrinal points (see the title), Mary opens up a much bigger conversation about virginity and virtue, the physical nature of the Mormon God, and the absence of any real female divinity in LDS theology. Mary, the Mother of Jesus (according to TCOJCOLDS) FAIR Latter Day Saints on Mary The Guardian Article Mormon Research Ministry Article on Mary Join the Girlscamp: After Dark Patreon account ⁠⁠here⁠ for two bonus episodes per month and more. For more Girlscamp content follow along on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠, ⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠. For ad inquiries please email girlscamppodcast@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Benny grew up feeling like something about him was “wrong.” After pushing through the Mormon path—full-time mission, BYU education—he eventually came out and began learning how to love himself for who he is. With his expertise in gender and sexuality, we talk about Mormon manhood, coming out at BYU, his continued fascination with deep-cut LDS doctrine, and how he’s embracing new forms of spirituality today. Join the Girlscamp: After Dark Patreon account ⁠⁠here⁠ for two bonus episodes per month and more. For more Girlscamp content follow along on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠, ⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠. For ad inquiries please email girlscamppodcast@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I consumed a lot of Mormon and Mormon-adjacent media this week: Heather Gay’s Surviving Mormonism, Elizabeth Smart’s new documentary Kidnapped and Jennette McCurdy’s latest novel Half His Age. As you can imagine, I’ve got thoughts! We get into purity culture and sex, what it means to face the very worst of Mormonism, and where the bounds of “religious freedom” really are. And I also end up sharing a heavy family conversation I had this week about immigration enforcement and just how intense everything feels right now. You can find the whole episode on the Girlscamp: Unplugged Patreon here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Three years later, I’m revisiting the question that kicked off the whole Girlscamp podcast. I talk about how my answer to why I left the Mormon church has evolved, and reflect on how this podcast has helped shape me. Here’s to three more years! The first Girlscamp episode Russell M. Nelson quote on the historicity of the Book of Mormon The Trevor Project Utah LGBTQ+ mental health statistics Sober Mormon TikTok post Tishmal “Leaving for Love” episode YouTube Tishmal “Leaving for Love” episode Join the Girlscamp: After Dark Patreon account ⁠⁠here⁠ for two bonus episodes per month and more. For more Girlscamp content follow along on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠, ⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠. For ad inquiries please email girlscamppodcast@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I’m resurrecting the campfire chat ✝️ and diving into your thoughts and questions. We end up covering a lot of ground: Mormon adult infantilization, mixed-faith extended family dynamics, learning to trust yourself after high-demand religion, threesome thoughts, and more. Join the Girlscamp: After Dark Patreon account ⁠⁠here⁠ for two bonus episodes per month and more. For more Girlscamp content follow along on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠, ⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠. For ad inquiries please email girlscamppodcast@gmail.com. THRIVE Conference- St. George 2026 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“The most tragic episode in the history of the Church,” according to the Mormon Church’s own website, is the Mountain Meadows Massacre. In this episode, we talk about the violence carried out by early Mormons at Mountain Meadows, what was deliberately covered up, and how to reckon with that history now—especially after leaving the church. We dig into the social and political tensions between Mormons in the Utah Territory and the federal government, the complex relationships with the Paiute people, and the fact that Mormon headquarters still isn’t fully addressing the elephant in the room. You can listen to the entire episode at the Girlscamp: Unplugged Patreon here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Though we both left Mormonism, Ash and I ended up in very different spiritual places. We talk about the tension between my skepticism and her mysticism, what New Age spirituality looks like in her everyday life, and the meaning it brings her. We also talk about her family’s move to Missouri to prepare for the Mormon Second Coming, and how that has shaped her worldview. Tune in for a dose of Ash magic ✨ Ash's Instagram Ash's Patreon account Ash's first Girlscamp episode Head to MarleySpoon.com/offer/GIRLSCAMP for up to 25 free meals Join the Girlscamp: After Dark Patreon account ⁠⁠here⁠ for two bonus episodes per month and more. For more Girlscamp content follow along on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠, ⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠. For ad inquiries please email girlscamppodcast@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices