Girlscamp

After a much-needed July break, I’m catching you up on everything—from the real (and sometimes complicated) privilege of being a content creator, to the weird backlash I got for taking time off, to the chaos living in my notes app all month. We’re talking Mormonism and American exceptionalism, why eating contests should be illegal, learning to trust your intuition, and one of my new all-time favorite books. It’s a little bit of everything—because that’s what this podcast is, and honestly? That’s what I missed most.

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In honor of Pioneer Day, we’re digging into what it really meant to be a pioneer woman—think managing periods and sex on the plains. I also take you on a deep dive into the lives of two prominent women: Jane Elizabeth Manning James and Mary Fielding Smith. Their stories are fascinating, complicated, and, weirdly, involve a lot of oxen. We’ll also unpack the emotional gymnastics that come with having pioneer ancestry—and how, ex-Mormon or not, we all have to reckon with the Mormon origin story. Plus, I wrap up with a little life update: how my July break went and a peek into a recent brand trip I got to take.

You can listen to the full episode on the Girlscamp: After Dark Patreon here.

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This episode first aired back in March 2024, and y’all loved it. So I’m bringing it back for a little Girlscamp Rewind. Whether it’s your first time or a repeat listen, I hope you enjoy! 

Gather 'round the fire for some wild stories from Mormon girl's camp. These tales include traumatizing object lessons, "snipe hunting" and getting secretly stoned under the stars. And I even sing my favorite girl's camp song!

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This episode first aired back in April 2023, and y’all loved it. So I’m bringing it back for a little Girlscamp Rewind. Whether it’s your first time or a repeat listen, I hope you enjoy! 

The ethereal Rachel Brockbank (artist and native name Tishmal) graces Girlscamp today with her post-Mormon story. She shares of her struggles with the church while in it, how love led her out of it and how her music is a diary of all the emotion along the way. She also speaks to her Native heritage and how that informs her spiritual journey both then and now. I was hanging on to her every word! I know you will be too. 

Rachel Brockbank on Instagram

“On My Way Up” song

Rick Rubin's “The Creative Act”

Steve Hassan “Combatting Cult Mind Control”

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Another day, another drama in the Mormon vs. ex-Mormon internet universe! A (self-proclaimed) LDS apologist podcaster made a response video to me after I called out the church for paying influencers to bear testimony of the Book of Mormon — and it gave us plenty to unpack. I’m diving into classic ex-Mormon stereotypes, the Church’s evolving digital marketing game, and what it might be like trying to stay devout online. Plus, a few thoughts on the Secret Lives of Mormon Wives reunion to round it all out.

You can listen to the rest of the episode on the Girlscamp: After Dark Patreon here.

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This episode first aired back in June 2023, and y’all loved it. So I’m bringing it back for a little Girlscamp Rewind. Whether it’s your first time or a repeat listen, I hope you enjoy! 

Get your bonnets and bloomers ready, because this week we're diving in to all the wild things that went down on Mormon trek. Listeners beware, there is some true trauma. But there's some lighthearted trek craziness along the trail as well.

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What’s the most blissful experience a person can have without sex, substances, or salvation? I asked—you delivered. From the cozy to the cosmic, we’re talking through the full range. Plus, a little announcement from me about what’s ahead this month on Girlscamp.
Ash Adams episode

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Something’s shifted lately—and not just in me. In this little life check-in, my husband Bentley joins me for a conversation about how we’re evolving in marriage, parenting, and the way we see the world. It’s a cozy and tender chat about where we’ve been, where we're going, and what we’re learning along the way.

Listen to the whole episode on the Girlscamp: After Dark Patreon here.

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Halfway through her time at Brigham Young University, today’s guest Holly Graff began deconstructing her Mormon faith—and also discovered she was bisexual. But with two years left to go, she had to navigate the tricky terrain of staying enrolled at a school that requires religious "worthiness." We talk about the emotional toll of hiding both her beliefs and her sexuality, what it really takes to keep your BYU endorsement, and the current vibe on campus between students, professors, and admin (it might surprise you).

Holly’s TikTok on surviving BYU

Holly’s Instagram

Resource for queer BYU students- Cougar Pride Center

Resource for queer BYU students- Encircle

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It’s wedding season! So we’re diving into the pinnacle Mormon version of marriage: the temple sealing. I break down what a temple sealing actually is, what people did (or didn’t do) to be deemed “worthy,” and read tons of listener stories that show this tradition from all its bizarre, secretive, and sometimes downright wild angles. Let’s just say it’s less wedding bells and more red flags.

“Spilling the Mormon Temple Secrets” podcast

“Spilling the Mormon Temple Secrets” on YouTube

Exact script for the temple sealing

Alyssa Grenfell temple clothes video

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