Reality Star Struggled with Eviction and Food Insecurity After Divorce
"There was time periods that I was borrowing money from family, and I would be grocery shopping and I would buy $30 worth of groceries for the whole week, and my kids would get food, but I would eat like their scraps after 'cause I couldn't afford to buy that. And I was getting eviction notices plopped on my door."
About this episode
On this episode of On Purpose, host Jay Shetty interviewed Leila Taylor from The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives in a groundbreaking conversation where Taylor publicly came out as bisexual for the first time. Taylor revealed she has been dating both men and women, and is currently in a relationship with a woman who initially reached out via Instagram DM. The 25-year-old reality star discussed her journey suppressing her sexuality for years due to lack of queer representation in her predominantly white, Mormon community in Utah. Beyond her coming out, Taylor disclosed harrowing details about her childhood and early adulthood, including attempting to bleach her skin at age 10 to fit in with white peers, converting to Mormonism at 16 seeking family stability, getting pregnant at 19, and entering a toxic marriage she described as manipulative. Following her divorce, Taylor faced severe financial hardship including eviction notices and food insecurity, surviving on $30 weekly grocery budgets while filming the reality show and hiding her struggles from castmates. She also opened up about her ongoing battle with an eating disorder that resurfaced a year ago and is currently in remission. Throughout the conversation, Taylor emphasized using her platform to represent single mothers, Black women, and now openly bisexual women, drawing strength from her two sons to finally live authentically. She expressed hope that her story would help others struggling with similar experiences feel safe to come out.
Key takeaways
- Taylor publicly came out as bisexual for the first time, revealing she is currently dating a woman who reached out via DM.
- She disclosed attempting to bleach her skin at age 10 due to internalized racism from growing up in a predominantly white Mormon community.
- After her divorce, Taylor faced eviction notices and severe food insecurity, buying only $30 in groceries weekly and eating her children's scraps.
- Taylor revealed she hid her financial struggles from Secret Lives castmates during filming out of shame and embarrassment.
- She converted to Mormonism at 16 seeking family stability and got pregnant at 19, entering what became a manipulative marriage.
- Taylor described how Mormon culture teaches sex is primarily for procreation, and she never received sex education in Utah schools.
- She emphasized using her platform to represent single mothers, Black women, and bisexual women, hoping to help others feel safe coming out.