Whitney wanted a Friday night dress. She got a pink Cadillac and a cult instead.

At 21, she joined Mary Kay just trying to pay her $200 rent. What she got was a crash course in manipulation disguised as empowerment, a swirl of culty catchphrases, and a trunk full of sparkle-dusted dreams.

In this episode, Whitney takes us on her journey from California cake decorator to one of Mary Kay’s youngest Sales Directors—and eventually, to the other side, where she finds healing, purpose, and a life that’s truly her own.

No pins. No pearls. No plastic praise.

LINKS:

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Today, we’re taking it back to where it all began: our very first episode. Meet Johanne Hanks, who went from BYU grad to plural wife to party planner for Jesus in a yuppie Mormon doomsday group called The True and Living Church. You know… TLC.

Faced with the fear of an impending apocalypse, Joanne and her husband move to a small Utah town to live "Mormonism on steroids", which means wearing long underwear, communicating with the dead, prophetic visions, odd temple rituals, cookies with Jesus, and the law of celestial marriage (aka polygamy).

We’ll be back next week with one of the OG MLMs… May Kay. Pucker up for that one.

Come see us LIVE at the Napa Valley Streaming Festival!

Johanne’s Book: “It’s Not About the Sex, My Ass”

Follow us for more culty content: @wasiinacult

Support the show: If Was I in a Cult? has impacted you, please rate and review us—it truly helps! And consider joining our Patreon for ad-free episodes and a cult-free community.

Have a story of your own? We’d love to hear it. Reach out to us at info@wasiinacult.com

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As Tyler owns up to overlooking a crucial part of Orange County's troubling past, Liz is secretly grateful for his mistake—for without it, they might never have met today's inspiring guest, Vida.

Growing up in South Central LA, Vida's father found salvation in a Pentecostal church led by a self-proclaimed prophet. For Vida, the church was initially a comforting community, offering structure and belonging. But over time, it became clear that what she knew as normal was deeply damaging: fasting replaced freedom, demons blamed for everyday struggles, and poverty persisted despite relentless donations. Vida shares her journey from unquestioning devotion to courageous self-discovery, ultimately reclaiming her life from the tangled legacy of faith, trauma, and generational pain.

Thank you, Vida, for your courage, your honesty, and your wisdom—and yes, for challenging Tyler's musical tastes.

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**Follow us for more culty content: @wasiinacult

**Support us: If 'Was I in a Cult?' has impacted you, please rate and review us—it truly makes a difference! And consider joining our Patreon for ad-free episodes and more community connection.

**if you have your own story of navigating spiritual trauma or culty family dynamics, reach out to us at info@wasiinacult.com—we'd love to hear from you!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.