Alyssa Grenfell

Alyssa Grenfell is an American author, YouTuber, and former member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). She is best known for her YouTube content and her memoir How to Leave the Mormon Church: An Exmormon's Guide to Rebuilding After Religion (2023).

Background

Alyssa Grenfell attended Brigham Young University (BYU),[1] where she adhered to the church's social and religious guidelines. At 23,[2] she was married in an LDS Church temple, filling traditional expectations of her upbringing.[3]

Grenfell's departure from the LDS Church began in her mid-20s. Key motivations included disillusionment with the church’s teachings on gender roles,[4] marriage, and personal autonomy.[5] Her personal revelations, coupled with historical and cultural critiques of the church, deepened her conviction to leave.[6]

After moving to New York City in 2017, Grenfell publicly shared her journey of faith deconstruction on social media platforms such as YouTube and TikTok.[7] She now documents her time as a Mormon on social media,[8] delving into the rules she had to follow and what her day-to-day life looked like.[9]

Career

Grenfell creates content on social media surrounding the LDS Church. Her one-minute-long video posted on YouTube explaining the similarity of looks between Mormons has been featured on the New York Post.[10]

Her novel, How to Leave the Mormon Church: An Exmormon's Guide to Rebuilding After Religion (2023), explores her personal journey of leaving the LDS Church and provides guidance for others undergoing similar experiences.[11] It combines memoir-style storytelling with practical advice for navigating life after leaving a high-demand religious community. It also addresses challenges such as redefining relationships, finding a new spiritual identity, and confronting religious trauma.[12]

Personal life

Grenfell currently lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband and two children.[12]

References

  1. ^ Laing, Sarah (2024-12-02). "Utah Hair is Ultra-Long, Smoothly Curled and Lighting up FYPs. Let's Take a Closer Look". The Kit. Retrieved 2024-12-20.
  2. ^ "Ex-mormon explains why members of her former church look so similar". LADbible. 2024-04-19. Retrieved 2024-12-20.
  3. ^ Porter, Christie (2024-10-10). "Exmormon Author, Alyssa Grenfell Discusses her New Book: How to Leave The Mormon Church". Salt Lake Magazine. Retrieved 2024-12-20.
  4. ^ "MSN". www.msn.com. Retrieved 2024-12-20.
  5. ^ Mitchell, Alex (2024-04-15). "Ex-Mormon reveals why members of her former church look alike". Retrieved 2024-12-20.
  6. ^ "MSN". www.msn.com. Retrieved 2024-12-20.
  7. ^ "Ex-Mormon Explains Why It's So Easy To Spot A Member Of The Church Based On Looks". Bored Panda. 2024-04-16. Retrieved 2024-12-20.
  8. ^ Lieber, Chavie (2024-10-17). "Everyone's Talking About Utah Hair". WSJ. Retrieved 2024-12-20.
  9. ^ "Ex-Mormon reveals what 'soft swinging' actually is as new show exposes surprising reality of the religion". Tyla. 2024-09-18. Retrieved 2024-12-20.
  10. ^ Mitchell, Alex (2024-04-15). "Ex-Mormon reveals why members of her former church look alike". Retrieved 2025-01-07.
  11. ^ Grenfell, Alyssa; Dehlin, John (2023-01-07). How to Leave the Mormon Church: An Exmormon's Guide to Rebuilding After Religion. Alyssa Grenfell. ISBN 979-8-9893105-0-0.
  12. ^ a b "I was born in the Mormon church — premarital sex was as bad as murder". Metro. 2024-05-11. Retrieved 2024-12-20.