Having read reviewers who insist polygamy must remain illegal, I had to provide my vote for tolerance for the lifestyle of people who don't hurt anybody or cheat anyone. That's the Browns, pure and simple. Kody and his four wives entered the relationship as consenting adults, and they're raising all their children with two primary rules: they'll be educated to the extent they choose, and they'll choose whether they'll be polygamists as adults.
I've written articles about the fact that illegality of polygamy protects people who break other, much worse laws, such as spouse and child abuse and defrauding the government.
I understand polygamy doesn't sit well with many people, but something must be done to protect children from being forced into marriage, especially with older men, and prevent tax and welfare cheating. Some sort of legal registration of these relationships could protect everyone and let people live their chosen lifestyle in peace.
With all the negative press about abusive groups like the Warren Jeffs clan, it's refreshing to see people like the Browns living the polygamous lifestyle without hurting anyone.That's what they should call this show, it's clearly his first love. He flips his hair around more than all of his wives and daughters combined have done (on air, anyway). I've watched every episode and I am far from traditional, my standards for lifestyle begin and end with happiness. I see Kody is giddy happy with his new wife but see the tears and struggles with his legal wife and some with his third wife and I just don't see the of religious doctrine that breaks hearts and gives a man a free pass to embark on a romantic phase that he admits he never experienced before wife number 4. The fact that he's feeling this now would hurt me horribly if I were his first wife, 2nd or 3rd. The fact that he's gleefully broadcasting this to the world on television makes it so much worst, add to that it would just be the ultimate humiliation. Wife 4 likes to say the polygamist lifestyle "rubs off" the rough spots. I just can't imagine agreeing with that. I might refer to that process more as a "wearing down" of aspects of self that should never be given up.
And the children. I have several and I can't count the times they've all needed something at the same time and I am fielding multiple conversations and requests all at once. No way he can be the father they deserve. Maybe he's not the worst father, maybe he's not abusive in a glaring sense of the word and maybe they have their doctrine to keep them warm at night. But no way is it all lollipops and gumdrops for the kids the way they seem to try to portray. What's glaring to me is how they can only feature so many of the kids in each segment. Nothing against the kids, what I've seen of them, they seem quite decent.I decided to watch it as a last resort late at night when I couldn't fall asleep. I ended up watching 5 episodes in a row because I found it so infatuating. I totally expected to resent all of the characters, thinking any polygamist man was a womanizer and any polygamist female was insecure and weak. I was wrong. I found myself sympathizing with all of the characters, and feeling something akin to admiration for the integrity the polygamist lifestyle requires. At first I thought letting your loved one have other spouses meant you didn't think you were worthy of having him all to yourself, but now I can see all of the benefits these women find in the lifestyle. It makes them better people, and gives them fuller lives. Who am I to judge?
Janelle is my favorite and had the greatest impact on my perception of polygamist women. Like so many women she wants all the best life had to offer: a great career AND great children and family life. Polygamy gave her all of that. She doesn't need to worry about childcare because her sister wives can take care of her kids when she's at work, and her high paying career helps support the stay-at-home sister wife. Women in monogamous relationships need to choose one or the other some point down the line....but seeing Janelle's lifestyle goes to show polygamy can be of all things liberating to women, something I never expected.
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