A proposal for #MomTok
For the past few days, I have been sick. I have been coughing non-stop, which has caused a steady, dull headache for days. Because of this, I haven’t had much capacity for work or any serious, deep thinking.
So, what do you do when you have low brain capacity? Reality tv, baby. My drug of choice these past few days was season 4 of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. For those unfamiliar with the show, the Hulu reality TV program centers on “MomTok,” a group of Mormon mothers (aged 19-25) who post dancing TikTok videos (and make bank while doing so). They describe themselves as the leading voices for the next generation of Mormonism… an edgier and empowering-to-women Mormonism. What’s wild is that the show's success was, in part, due to a MomTok swinging scandal that came to surface in 2022.
Now, I know what you're probably thinking. How banal. How anti-intellectual. Why would anyone watch this show?
But, reader, what you failed to consider is that I was watching it as an intellectual. As an anthropologist, if you will.
Through my study, here is what I’ve observed: the show’s primary conflict revolves around the interpersonal drama between the moms, leading them to frequently voting members in and out of MomTok. For example, Whitney did not attend Mayci’s event, which is a big no-no for MomTok. Whitney was not being a supportive friend or good MomTok coworker in the eyes of the other girls… after all, it is a business! For this reason, she was voted out of MomTok!! But the issue is, these women call votes in the spur of the moment, and vote out members in a heat of passion. “She’s out!” Because of this, it’s never quite clear which of the women currently make up the committee of MomTokers.
What the women need are bylaws. We (we?) need to establish a formal procedure for voting within this group. Who can call a vote? Can it be any active members of MomTok? Or must it be the MomTok chair, Taylor Frankie Paul?
How many MomTok women must be present for quorum to be established? Are absentee votes accepted?? Is anyone taking meeting minutes???
I may be high on cough drops, but I truly believe a set of bylaws and the introduction of Robert’s Rules of Order could go a long way for these women.