What the Fundamentalist is going on?!?!

We're living in a perpetual WTF moment and sometimes that makes me want to shake things up

New look for an old friend.

Hi friends—

So if you haven’t seen the story on social media yet, here’s what happened last month that led to this email, which will become the new About page for my Substack.

I finished the manuscript for my second book in April. As we worked through the edits, I was bothered by two things:

1. The title, The Soul of Healing, didn’t feel like it fit anymore, and

2. The cover, which had a ribbon-y phoenix on it, didn’t fit either. I’m not a bird. Birds are very inspirational and are featured in many spiritual books, but that is not this. And, I didn’t use bird metaphors in the text.

Happily, my editors and publishing team agreed. They’d been considering changes but weren’t sure how I’d feel about it, and when I mentioned the misfit, the moment was a magical meeting of the minds. The result is a new title and cover that I’m enthralled with. Both tie in well with A Well-Trained Wife, which feels cohesive and seamless.

The reveal for the new title and cover will be coming soon, but the refresh inspired me to take a look at my Substack. “Deconstructing Fundamentalism” is very utilitarian, but lacking fire, fun, and fucks—the kind that motivate someone to ask the big questions about WTF is going on.

I decided the time was right for a little rebrand. I asked for suggestions on Instagram stories, and the result was nearly unanimous! Crowdsourcing for the win! WTF is sometimes the only words we have to react with, and since this is a column about Christian Fundamentalism, that’s the F-word of choice.

• Not everyone loves F-bombs. I think they’re essential to my recovery. Never again will I be so offended by a four-letter word that I overlook true blasphemies like injustice, cruelty, discrimination, abuse, and harm while censoring vocabulary. It’s “just” a word, but the power of it also serves as a red-flag filter. I know when someone cares more about policing my language than speaking out about harms and abuses done in Jesus’ name, that they aren’t for me. Additionally, as a language nerd, the F-bomb is incredibly versatile, able to function as a verb, noun, adjective, adverb, expletive, or punctuation. As an acronym, it didn’t let me down in this regard. WTF can be what you fill it in to be.

About WTF:

What the Fundamentalist?! (WTF) It’s a newsletter that explains the strange, severe, and sometimes terrifying behavior of American evangelical fundamentalists—without a filter and with full context.

Created by author, former trad wife, and exvangelical insider Tia Levings, WTF blends memoir, media critique, and cultural analysis to help you understand why they’re like that—and what it’s costing our society, recovery, and progress.

Every post tackles one specific trait—rigidity, rage, obsession with control, moral panic, gender roles, trad wives, purity and modesty culture, theocratic strategy, end-times fever—ties it to a current headline, and decodes the belief system beneath it.

If you’ve ever found yourself whispering “what the fuck?!” about Christian Fundamentalism in our culture and political infastructure—this is your place.

What subscribers say:

About Tia:

Tia Levings is the New York Times Bestselling author of A Well-Trained Wife, her memoir of escape from Christian Patriarchy. She writes about the realities of religious trauma and the Trad wife life, decoding the fundamentalist influences in our news and culture. Her work and quotes have appeared in Teen Vogue, Salon, the Huffington Post, and Newsweek. She also appeared in the hit Amazon docu-series, Shiny Happy People. Based in North Carolina, she is mom to four incredible adults and likes to travel, hike, paint, and daydream. Find her on social media @TiaLevingsWriter and TiaLevings.Substack.com. Her second book releases with St. Martin’s Essentials May 5, 2026.

About our current state of affairs:

Maybe you grew up in it. Maybe you married into it. Maybe you're just watching from the outside, trying to figure out what kind of belief system says tank tops are a threat to godliness, Taylor Swift is demonic, and empathy is dangerous.

This is where we decode that.

WTF: What the Fundamentalist is part memoir, part media analysis, part cultural translation manual. Each post breaks down one fundamentalist behavior and explains:

• Where it came from (biblically, culturally, psychologically)

• How it showed up in homes, churches, and headlines

• What it actually meant underneath all the spiritual language

• And what it did to those of us who had to live through it

It’s not satire, but you might laugh.
It’s not therapy, but it might help you heal.
It’s not just critique—it’s clarity.

We’re not mocking from the sidelines. We’re survivors with receipts.

And now we’re flipping the script.

Thanks for being here.

Life right now can feel batshit upside down. I know this well, because everything I ran away from is in today's headlines. So many of us are struggling to relate to loved ones who have fallen into the Trumpian cult, and how this regime is changing our country while threatening our recovery. My goal with my work is to provide context so that you feel a little more grounded, and armed with the answers to what's going on and why.

The content you’ll find here deconstructs fundamentalism in:

• politics

• religion

• family

• culture

• trauma recovery

• spirituality

as well as what my personal deconstruction process looks like.

I guide you through the process, providing information, reporting, connections, and solidarity in the antifundamentalist life.

You gain insight into what it’s like to live in their parallel America, as well as inspiration for living the ultimate resistance: with curiosity, knowledge, and the humanities.

Here are a few examples of the content you can find here:

• The Duggar Dead Stare, Cult Glaze, and Christian Countenance

• What is Mike Johnson Hiding?

• Why Kelly Johnson Sounds Like Michelle Duggar

• What it’s Really Like to Be a Trad Wife

• Dear Christian, Maybe You’re Targeted

• Going No Contact With Family

• Are the Duggar Memoirs a Ploy?

• You May Not Want to Follow Me (And I’m Okay With That)

• How I Healed My Voice After Fundamentalism

Free subscriptions:

• Overview essays that introduce big deconstruction topics

• Heads up on the topics I’m unraveling

• Deep dives into big topics with personal impact

• Behind the scenes of life in evangelical patriarchy

• The chat

• Commenting on posts

• The most provocative content that rattles me on a topic

Paid subscriptions:

• Deep dives into big topics with personal impact

• Behind the scenes of life in (and deconstruction out of) evangelical patriarchy

• Chat and comment on posts

• The most provocative content that rattles me on a topic

• Years of archives

• Knowing you’re throwing a log on the fire to burn the patriarchy down by supporting this work.

Important notes:

• There are occasional “low volume” times here. While I usually send 1-2 posts per week, if I’m under deadline with a manuscript, I’ll send an archive or nothing at all. I don’t believe in jamming your inboxes or grueling overwork. If I’m not posting long pieces, I’m still available in Notes and Chat for paid subscribers.

• Your annual subscriptions here are my full-time job. If you are familiar with the publishing industry, you know that advances spread over three years are not a living wage, so the books do not pay for electricity. Meta yanks bonuses and views from creators randomly and at will. That’s why Substack has a paywall. You are how I do this work, and without you, it wouldn’t (couldn’t) be sustainable. When the pace of bad news feels like a waterhose, and it’s unclear what we can do about it, investing in work that clarifies, informs, advocates, and supports is powerful. Thank you!

• I always offer free years with pre-orders, and I will also provide free years if you’re experiencing a financial hardship. Just email me at contact@TiaLevings.com

• Please like and share what you like and want to share. IT REALLY HELPS, and it’s an entirely free way to support a writer

I believe the way the Christian Patriarchy runs their homes is how they want to run our country. So, because I care about my country, democracy, and anyone who may suffer under this fundamentalist regime, I’ve made it my mission to expose what it’s really like to live behind closed doors in that world.

What informs your household and lifestyle decisions matters: this is a chance for informed resistance.

Living with joy and humanity defies fundamentalist control. Cult leaders hate it when you know what they’re up to!

I know times feel bleak right now. I hope you find connection, information, and insight here. The universe bends towards justice, and we will carry on.

Much love,

Tia

These are the flowers I received after signing my book deal. It was the happiest, most redemptive Diamond Day ever. Check out my website for a video directory and other resources for healing from religious trauma.

I’m getting ready to send out my quarterly author update. If you get that, you’re on this list, but the reverse isn’t true—some Substack subscribers aren’t on my regular mailing list. If that’s you, and you don’t want to miss the announcements (new book, event dates, personal update) go to TiaLevings.com and sign up for the free Fundie Cheatsheet.

ALSO. After JD Vance’s dehumanizing stab at “immaterial” lost immigrant lives, I extra extra extra want to outsell his Hillbilly Elegy more than ever. Wanna help? Several booksellers have A Well-Trained Wife on sale (I’ve seen it for $11!) and 10% of a Kindle Unlimited read counts as a sale. Give copies to friends, donate to Little Libraries, share with trauma-informed therapsits. It all helps!