A feel-good profile that the official social channels of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints shared this month has turned into something the church likely did not script. The post spotlighted New York City fashion designer Pono Skousen, and online sleuths quickly pointed out that he runs a queer, Mormon-themed label that riffs on church language and pioneer imagery.
Who Is Pono Skousen?
Skousen is a New York City based fashion designer and former missionary who told The Salt Lake Tribune, "I have a boyfriend" and that he "still likes going to church every Sunday." He says his path into fashion ran through sewing with Relief Society groups and an early life in ballet, and he frames clothing as his way of exploring identity and faith at the same time.
How A Church Post Lit Up The Comments
The Church's official Instagram and Facebook accounts shared a short profile of Skousen in late June, and the comments section quickly split. Some viewers cheered the spotlight on a young creative, while others bristled when they realized many of his best-known pieces are aimed at gay and former Mormons, something they found jarring in an official church post. That tension, plus the timing of the feature, helped fuel a broader online debate, as reported by Them.
What Exactly Is Church Of Martin?
Skousen's label, Church of Martin, describes itself on its storefront as "the brand that struggles with same-sex attraction" and, on its Church of Martin shop page, lists items such as "Love One Another" tees, a "Same-Sex Attraction" tee and a "Gay Scouts of America" hoodie. Those playful, deliberately provocative designs have become the lightning rod in the online thread, drawing both sharp criticism and vocal defense.
Designer Calls It “A Funny Timeline”
Skousen told PinkNews that the interview for the church's profile was filmed more than a year before it appeared, and that Church of Martin launched months afterward, a sequence he called "a funny timeline." He described the label as "a silly gay fashion brand" meant to reclaim parts of his past with joy rather than to antagonize the faith that shaped him.
Why The Flare-Up Matters
The episode underscores how live-wire debates over LGBTQ inclusion and identity remain inside and around the church, and how a seemingly simple social-media spotlight can quickly turn into an unexpected flashpoint. The Salt Lake Tribune has reported on a wider trend of younger Latter-day Saints wrestling with the faith's stance on social issues, and this dust-up has simply pushed that simmering conversation back to the surface, this time in the middle of the church's own feeds.
