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Mormon TV star felt 'shame' being 16 and pregnant

The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives cast is here to give gender stereotypes a make-over. They revealed how they are the main breadwinners for their family and talked about the shame associated with teenage pregnancy this fall.

The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’ women are casting a new light on their religion. In this Hulu reality TV show, the hip young moms behind #MomTok, a group of dancing Utah influencers, take center stage and break down stereotypes. Mikayla Matthews revealed recently what it was like to be pregnant at 16 and how the cast are part of a “new generation” of Mormons.

Cast are ‘just a new generation of moms’

On the September 10 episode of So Bad It’s Good, with Ryan Bailey, four of the Hulu series’ cast spilled the tea on their exciting new reality show.

Getting stuck right into the nitty-gritty, host Ryan asks the women to discuss stereotypes within the Mormon religion.

Ryan points out: “Sometimes, you know, religion has not caught up to where life is.”

Before asking the women: “Is that really important to all of you ladies changing gender stereotypes?”

Mikayla grabs the microphone to say that while the “older generation still has those stereotypes” the cast of the show is “just a new generation of moms.”

She does add that it’s not “just Mormon culture” that believes in gender stereotypes, but “older generations” from many cultural backgrounds.

Jessi Ngatikaura humorously adds to the discussion: “I wouldn’t even say we’re like oh women are the best and men suck, you know.”

Ngatikaura goes on to clarify that “in this economy” many households do rely on a double income meaning “it’s more normal for women to work.”

The ladies want it to be known, and accepted, that they can do it all: “We just want it to be accepted that you can be the breadwinner and a powerful woman, and also be a homemaker and a mom.”

This group of reality stars shared, at this moment, they are all the “main breadwinners” of their families.

‘I would want someone to look up to’

The host focuses in on Mikayla Matthews who, at only 24 years old, has already been married for six years. There is a five-year age gap between her and her husband Jace Terry, who was 21 when they met.

The mum of three was only 16 when she became pregnant with their first child, Beckham, who is now seven years old.

Mikayla got pregnant in high school a month after she and Jace met. Due to her age and condition, she had to drop out of her schooling and finish her degree online.

Between the age gap and the young pregnancy, this storyline has caused some controversy among viewers. Bailey wants to know from Matthews: “How hard was it to share that story [and] was there any trepidation?”

Mikayla admitted to feeling “nervous to share things” for a “long time,” however, she continued to describe the importance of role models in young people’s lives.

“I would want someone to look up to, or want someone to take advice from, like, I remember getting pregnant at 16 and I would watch all the YouTube videos of young moms.”

She also discussed how “there’s just a lot of shame” in getting pregnant young, “especially in the culture in Utah.”

WATCH THE SECRET LIVES OF MORMON WIVES ON HULU NOW

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