Taylor Frankie Paul has gone from a "soft-swinging" scandal to the new face of "The Bachelorette." It begs the question: Does this mean society's view of swinging is changing?
Utah-based influencer Paul, 31, went viral in 2022 after revealing in a TikTok live that she and her then-husband, Tate Paul, had been "soft-swinging," or engaging in limited sexual contact, with other Mormon couples. Paul also stars on the hit Hulu reality show "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives," which began in 2024 and focused on Paul and her influencer friends – dubbed "MomTok"– dealing with the fallout from her "soft-swinging" revelation.
ABC announced earlier this month that Paul will star on the next season of "The Bachelorette," a choice which has rocked Bachelor Nation.
Though swinging has long-been, and continues to be, a taboo topic, it's gotten more attention in recent years, as swingers and people who engage in other forms of non-monogamy have come forward to share their experiences on social media. Now that an open soft-swinger is set to star on a mainstream reality dating show like "The Bachelorette," will society's overall attitude toward swinging shift?
"Taylor Frankie Paul being cast as the new 'Bachelorette' will spark lots of introspection and conversations among viewers about the possibilities of non-monogamy," says trauma and relationship therapist Jordan Pickell. "Taylor’s openness about her history of 'soft-swinging' may lead people to question their own assumptions about what monogamy or non-monogamy could look like in their own relationships."
