In March, Utah became the first state in the nation to ban pride flags from public schools and government property. It’s a law that caught the attention of millions across the country.
It was around that time that a group of well-known Utahns reached out to one of the state’s leading LGBTQ+ nonprofit organizations to collaborate on an event geared toward allyship.
That’s how the MomTok and Utah Pride Center event got featured in the eighth episode of the new season of “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.” In the show, Mayci Neeley introduced the event and said it came out in the wake of the legislation’s approval.
Jackson Carter, director of operations and outreach at the Utah Pride Center, said that another mom, Jessi Ngatikaura, initially reached out to the center to plan an event and that it was “coincidental” that it happened at the time of the pride flag prohibition
“We had a call with Jessi,” Carter said, “and then [she] actually came in, and we filmed a site visit where she looked around, and we sort of planned out the party.”
On the show, Ngatikaura explained why MomTok wanted to stage the event.
“In MomTok, we all have gay friends, family members and gay fans. I have gay employees so it’s extremely important for MomTok to host an event like this,” she said. “Our culture can be so judgmental and close-minded. It’s just something that I think Utah needs to loosen up on.”
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints states that same-sex attraction is not a sin, but acting on it is.
Carter said that he sees similarities between MomTok and the center on how they “challenge the social norms of Utah.”
The center’s executive director, Chad Call, said Ngatikaura’s goal was “to teach her network what allyship really means.”
The “soiree” featured a DJ, drag performances and talks on allyship from Call and Carter. Ngatikaura also spoke. All of MomTok was at the event aside from Whitney Leavitt and Demi Engemann, both of whom are largely absent in the show’s third season. Many of the MomTok partners were also at the event.
“When we enter into situations like this, where we have notable folks in the Utah community, the larger community as a whole, speak out in allyship or speak up to support our community,” Call said, “it brings a lot of visibility and empowerment to our community.”
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