Reality star Layla Taylor has opened up about coming out as bisexual, her new relationship and raising children across a mixed-faith family. Her story arrives as she returns to Hulu’s The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, bringing a thoughtful, highly personal perspective to a genre still short on openly queer women of colour.

Essential Takeaways

  • Taylor came out publicly as bisexual: She shared the news on Jay Shetty’s podcast after years of privately understanding her sexuality.
  • She is dating Kelsie Carpenter: The couple connected through social media and are keeping their relationship “private, not secret”.
  • Her children shaped the decision: Taylor said she wanted to model honesty and self-acceptance for her two children.
  • The response has been largely supportive: Fans and castmates have shown love, although she’s also faced biphobic comments.
  • Her story adds representation: Taylor’s visibility matters in reality television, particularly as a queer woman of colour and former member of the Mormon Church.

Layla Taylor’s coming out marks a bigger reality-TV shift

Layla Taylor’s bisexual coming out lands with more weight than a standard celebrity announcement. She’s a recognisable face from The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, a show built around faith, friendship, marriage and the messy business of public identity.

In an interview with Them, Taylor described feeling as though a part of her had remained unfinished, despite having a successful career, two children and a strong circle of loved ones. That emotional detail is what makes her story feel especially relatable. Coming out isn’t always a dramatic lightning strike; sometimes it’s the slow realisation that performing a version of yourself has become exhausting.

Taylor has also spoken about growing up as a woman of colour in spaces where she already felt conspicuous. Coming to terms with her sexuality, she explained, initially felt like another reason she might stand apart. Her eventual decision was rooted in a desire to live honestly, rather than continue managing other people’s expectations.

Why queer representation on unscripted television still matters

Reality television has become more visibly queer in recent years, with stars including Chrishell Stause, Gabby Windey and Jenna Lyons discussing their identities publicly. But visibility remains uneven, particularly for bisexual women and queer women of colour.

Taylor’s profile gives that conversation a distinctly mainstream platform. She isn’t appearing in a niche documentary or a scripted coming-of-age drama; she’s part of a popular reality franchise watched by audiences who may recognise the social and religious pressures surrounding her life.

That’s important because unscripted television often blurs the line between entertainment and identification. Viewers don’t just watch a cast member’s storyline; they may see their own family, neighbourhood or unanswered questions reflected back at them. For someone in a conservative community, that can make one public story feel surprisingly close to home.

Taylor is protecting her new relationship

Taylor’s girlfriend, Kelsie Carpenter, first made contact after Taylor interacted with one of her TikTok posts. The connection quickly developed into regular conversations and spending time together, although Taylor isn’t rushing to turn the relationship into a public spectacle.

She has confirmed Carpenter’s name while keeping much of their relationship out of the spotlight. As Taylor put it in her conversation with Them, the couple are private, not secret. It’s a sensible distinction, especially when fans can identify someone from a single photograph or a glimpse of a tattooed arm.

The pair have been seen together at LEGOLAND, but Taylor’s approach is less about hiding and more about creating room to settle into a new relationship. She described being in a happy bubble while building confidence in a part of herself she’s only recently made public. Frankly, that sounds healthier than allowing strangers online to direct every chapter.

How Taylor is handling criticism and biphobia

The reaction to Taylor’s announcement has been mostly loving, but she’s also faced familiar dismissals. Some commenters have called her sexuality a phase, questioned her attraction to women or criticised her parenting.

Her response is firm: bisexuality doesn’t disappear because someone later dates a man. That point remains worth repeating, because bisexual people are often expected to provide proof of their identity through their relationship status. Taylor’s public life makes that scrutiny louder, but the underlying prejudice is painfully ordinary.

She’s choosing to focus on supportive friends, family and castmates, while accepting that not every opinion deserves equal access to her peace. That doesn’t mean the criticism has no sting. It means she’s refusing to let hostile strangers become the authors of her identity.

Parenthood, faith and a more honest future

Taylor has said her children are too young to fully understand the details of her relationship, but they do understand whether their mother is happy. As they grow older, she plans to talk with them openly about sexuality, faith and the different beliefs they encounter between households.

The family is navigating a mixed-faith co-parenting arrangement, with Taylor’s former partner remaining Mormon while she no longer practises. Rather than presenting those differences as a battle, she wants her children to have space to ask questions and decide what feels right for them.

That may be one of the most quietly powerful parts of Taylor’s story. Her coming out isn’t only about a label or a headline; it’s about showing her children that adulthood can include change, uncertainty and self-discovery. In reality television, where personal revelations are often packaged for maximum drama, that kind of honesty feels refreshingly grounded.

Taylor’s story shows why bisexual representation on reality TV still carries real cultural weight.

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