What began as a routine profile of a young fashion designer quickly became one of the internet’s most unexpected LGBTQ+ stories of the week.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints recently shared a feature on fashion designer Pono Skousen across its official Instagram and Facebook accounts.
The post celebrated his creativity, faith and work as a designer (Queerty).
Many viewers soon noticed something the church’s social media team may not have anticipated.
Skousen is also the co-founder of Church of Martin, a fashion label created for gay Mormons and former members of the church.
The brand has gained attention for reimagining Mormon culture through humorous and unapologetically queer clothing.
Its collections include designs featuring same-sex couples alongside playful references to familiar church phrases and traditions.
Online reactions quickly ranged from surprise to amusement.
Some church members criticized the decision to feature Skousen after discovering his work outside the interview.
Others welcomed the visibility and praised the church for highlighting a gay member, whether intentional or not.
Skousen later explained that there was no deliberate contradiction.
According to him, the interview had actually been filmed more than a year earlier.
At the time of filming, Church of Martin had not yet been created.
The brand launched months later while the interview remained unpublished.
Rather than presenting himself as an activist, Skousen says his goal is to help LGBTQ+ people with Mormon backgrounds reconcile different parts of their identity.
He hopes people can look at their history with honesty, humor and compassion instead of shame.
The episode also illustrates how quickly online conversations can change when context evolves between filming and publication.
Whether viewed as an amusing mix-up or a meaningful moment of visibility, the story has introduced many more people to Church of Martin and the community it was created to serve.
📷 IG @church.ofmartin
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