Axios Salt Lake City

August 06, 2024
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Today's newsletter is 799 words — a 3-minute read.
1 big thing: Utah swinging scandal gets Hulu treatment
A new docuseries about the 2022 swinging sex scandal involving suburban influencer moms that drew millions of views on TikTok is coming to Hulu.
The big picture: The viral drama emerged when influencer Taylor Frankie Paul, of Draper, posted a TikTok about getting a divorce after she "stepped out" of the boundaries of her open marriage with her friend's husband.
- Paul faced legal trouble in 2023 after allegedly assaulting her boyfriend, and later pleaded guilty to aggravated assault, KSL.com reported.
State of play: The show will follow Paul, as well as seven other influencer moms.
- "The scandalous world of a group of Mormon mom influencers implodes when they get caught in the midst of a swinging sex scandal that makes international headlines," a synopsis of the show reads, per Vulture. "Now, their sisterhood is shook to its core. Faith, friendship and reputations are all on the line."
- The series comes as polyamory and ethical non-monogamy are becoming more mainstream in Utah.
Zoom in: The kink-positive dating app Feeld saw the number of Salt Lake area profiles with the terms "ethically nonmonogamous" or "polyamorous" surge in the past three years, according to data the company shared with Axios earlier this year.
Between the lines: Utah, where the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is headquartered, is well-known for its history of plural marriages.
- The practice was eventually denounced by Latter-day Saint church leaders, but it is still practiced in some other Mormon sects.
2. 🥊 Utah politicians enter women's boxing fray
Utah's Republican leaders have leapt again into Olympics culture wars, repeating unsubstantiated claims that Algerian boxer Imane Khelif is not a woman.
The intrigue: Among those amplifying attacks on Khelif is Gov. Spencer Cox, who two years ago won national attention for vetoing a statewide ban on trans students in high school sports.
Driving the news: U.S. Sen. Mike Lee, U.S. Rep. Burgess Owens, state House Speaker Mike Schultz and other state lawmakers added to a flurry of false allegations against Khelif last week after her Italian opponent quit 46 seconds into their bout.
- Cox then reposted Schultz's statement that "Men don't belong in women's sports," as well as a complaint by U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas) that Khelif had "inherent biological advantages."
The latest: Khelif won her quarterfinal match this weekend, guaranteeing her at least a bronze medal following Tuesday's semifinals.
Context: In spreading false claims that Khelif is a man, Cox further departs from his previous efforts to position himself as a rare, centrist conservative.
- His sharpest rightward shift came last month when he endorsed former President Trump days after saying he would not vote for him.
Zoom in: As governor and lieutenant governor, Cox specifically polished his bona fides as an LGBTQ+ ally.
- He joined teenagers on the state capitol floor as they staged a sit-in to protest conversion therapy, and appeared to weep in contrition for his past homophobia at a vigil for victims of the 2016 shooting at Orlando's Pulse nightclub.
3. Fry Sauce: A blend of news
⚡ Multiple power outages impacted more than 15,000 residents in Salt Lake County yesterday. (FOX 13)
⚖️ Attorneys for Utah inmate Taberon Honie, who is scheduled for execution tomorrow, are asking Gov. Spencer Cox for a delay, accusing corrections officials of rushing the process. (Deseret News)
🍎 Six Utah cities are set to convene today to decide whether to create a new school district in Utah County. (ABC 4)
4. 🏃 Chase those steeples
Two recent BYU grads advanced to the finals in both men's and women's steeplechase at the Paris Olympics.
- Kenneth Rooks, who graduated last year, will be Team USA's only competitor in the men's final on Wednesday after he surged to second place in his heat yesterday.
- Courtney Wayment, of Layton, will compete in Tuesday's women's final after posting the fourth-fastest time in the qualifying heats Sunday.
Catch up quick: Grant Fisher, of Park City, won bronze at Friday's 10,000m final, making him the second U.S.-born men's medalist in the event in 60 years.
- Fisher moved to Park City to train with Utah's Run Elite program — a decision he credited for his win in an interview with KSL Radio.
5. 📆 Utah Jazz announce preseason schedule
The Utah Jazz revealed their preseason schedule yesterday, featuring three home and three away games.
Why it matters: After a disappointing 2023-24 season, this will be the first chance for fans to see what this year's roster might be able to accomplish on the court.
- By the time the preseason arrives, the Jazz could look like a completely different team on paper if they decide to trade forward Lauri Markkanen or guard Jordan Clarkson.
Here are the dates to know:
Oct. 4: New Zealand Breakers at the Delta Center at 7pm
Oct. 7: Houston at the Delta Center at 7pm
Oct. 10: Dallas at the American Airlines Center at 6pm
😎 Kim is thrilled that her AC is working again.
🏴 Erin is stifling laughter as her 11-year-old — who happily sat through a 3 1/2-hour black-and-white Japanese epic with subtitles — spends the entirety of "Braveheart" complaining about how boring it is.
- "He gets up does the encouraging PSA speech, and then everyone goes 'Raaaaagh,' and they kill many, many horses. And then he jumps through a door that for some reason goes out to the ocean and kills another horse."
This newsletter was edited by Ross Terrell and copy edited by Natasha Danielle Smith and Aurora Martínez.
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