Speaker
Layla Taylor
Appearances over time
1 episodes
Episodes
1
Podcasts
Quotes & moments
Layla Taylor came out as bisexual publicly for the first time on this podcast, having known since childhood but never formally addressed it.
Layla found out she was pregnant at 19, alone at an urgent care in Provo, Utah — one of the most terrifying days of her life.
Layla converted to the Mormon church at 16, primarily to fit in with her predominantly Mormon peer group and find the family stability she lacked at home.
Layla lost her virginity at 15 and her parents still do not know to this day, reflecting a childhood of hiding things out of fear of their reactions.
As a Black girl growing up in a predominantly white area, Layla attempted to bleach her skin at around age 10, believing it would help her fit in.
Before the show took off, Layla was buying $30 worth of groceries weekly, eating her kids' scraps, and receiving eviction notices while filming and hiding her struggles.
Layla estimated that around 98% of her school peers were enrolled in Mormon seminary, making it feel like conversion was simply the normal thing to do.
Layla received zero sex education classes growing up in a predominantly Mormon area, leading to a skewed understanding of sex for most of her adult life.
Layla struggled with an eating disorder in high school, and it resurfaced approximately one year before the episode aired; she describes herself as now being in remission.
Layla stated it took her 25 years to be completely proud of every single part of herself, and she wishes it had happened sooner.
Layla has her young sons sit in front of a mirror each day and recite affirmations like 'I'm handsome, I'm smart, I'm loved' to counter the negative self-talk she experienced growing up.
Layla's ex-husband would repeatedly threaten divorce, knowing it was her biggest fear; the day she finally agreed instead of fighting it marked her turning point.
A breakup at the start of 2025 was the catalyst that gave Layla the space to stop living for other people and actually sit with who she is. She'd spent her entire adult life fulfilling roles — wife, mother, performer — and had never once focused purely on herself.
Growing up as the only Black girl in a sea of blue-eyed blonde peers, Layla convinced herself that whiteness was the standard of beauty. At age 10 she drew a bleach bath hoping it would lighten her skin. It took 25 years and having her own children to flip that narrative entirely.
At 19, Layla went to urgent care thinking she had a stomach bug and was told she was pregnant. Alone in Provo, Utah, with her boyfriend as her only real support, she had no idea whether to proceed with the pregnancy, put the baby up for adoption, or get married. She ended up doing all three — almost.
Her ex-husband had used the threat of divorce to keep Layla in line throughout their marriage. The day she finally said 'okay, you're right, let's do this' instead of begging him to stay was the moment everything changed. Her calm acceptance caught him completely off guard.
Layla joined the Mormon church at 16 not out of belief, but because 98% of her school attended seminary and she desperately wanted to feel like she belonged. Yet she credits the church with pulling her out of serious mental health struggles in high school, even as she now rejects many of its teachings as someone who is openly gay.
Layla grew up hearing her parents make negative comments about their own bodies and about each other, which hardwired a low sense of self-worth in her. Her counter-programming for her sons: daily mirror affirmations. She has them say 'I'm handsome, I'm smart, I'm loved' every day — and she credits it as one of the most important investments she can make in their future.
Layla has been in survival mode for virtually her entire life — childhood trauma, a toxic marriage, financial crisis as a single mom, an eating disorder, and a closeted identity. Her message to anyone still in that mode: life is not meant to be survived. Be more scared of not being who you are than of what people will say when they find out.
Jay Shetty raises the Zen idea that people prefer familiar pain over unknown pain, and Layla applies it precisely to why she stayed in her marriage long after it became toxic. The fear of single motherhood was so overwhelming that the manipulation became easier to tolerate — until it wasn't.
While filming The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, Layla was receiving eviction notices, buying $30 of groceries per week, and eating her children's leftovers because she couldn't afford food for herself. She smiled for the cameras every day and told no one. The shame almost made her wish she'd stayed in the toxic marriage.
For years Layla dismissed her attraction to women as drunk moments at parties — something to be explained away. Then a woman slid into her DMs with just an eye emoji after Layla liked a TikTok, and their first intentional kiss made it undeniable. That was the line between curiosity and clarity.
Layla Taylor publicly comes out as bisexual on Jay Shetty's podcast, stating it's the first time she has ever formally addressed her sexuality. Growing up without queer representation, she spent years dismissing her attraction to women as 'just a phase' or a 'drunk moment' — until a recent breakup gave her the space to finally be fully herself.
Layla grew up with zero sex education, in a faith tradition that treated sex as purely procreative. As a result, she spent years assuming sex was entirely for the man's pleasure and never even knew what satisfaction felt like for herself. Her candid admission on the show sparked a flood of DMs from women saying they felt the same.
Analysis
What they talk about
- Society & Culture 84%
- Health & Fitness 8%
- TV & Film 8%
