Is ‘Sister Wives’ Proof That Plural Marriage Can’t Work?

Sister Wives from TLC

When Sister Wives first aired, the Brown family was committed to showing the world a softer side of plural marriage. But over the years, the picture-perfect family image they shared with the world began to fall apart.

In Season 17, viewers are watching Christine prepare to leave the family and speak out against all the injustices she suffered during her marriage to Kody Brown. She was once a staunch advocate for plural marriage but has since changed her viewpoints.

Is Sister Wives proof that polygamist family structures just don’t work? Keep reading to see what fans online had to say.

Does Sister Wives still paint a positive view of polygamy?

Many people living polygamist lifestyles aren’t comfortable sharing their living situation with the rest of the world. The Browns have been one of the most vocal supporters of polygamy — as long as everything is consensual and everyone involved is of legal marrying age. They’ve really tried to distance themselves from polygamist groups like the one Warren Jeffs runs.

Since Season 1, the Brown family has always claimed that plural marriage works and can survive in a loving, happy environment. But over the years, viewers are starting to realize the Browns aren’t telling the full story.

Are the family’s efforts enough? Sister Wives fans are watching the Brown family fall apart and their plural marriages crumble. The Browns used to be strong advocates for polygamy, but they can’t even keep their own family together.

Redditors discuss the Brown family’s breakdown

Of course, Redditors had opinions here about the idea and didn’t hold back at all.

“For me, I actually do believe that for CERTAIN people plural marriage can still work,” the original Redditor wrote. “I just think that almost none of the people on sister wives actually wants to participate in plural marriage as much as they once though they did or pretend they do.”

They went on to say that the adults in the Brown family all wanted very different things. All the women on Sister Wives seemed to fall in love with one man and wanted their all individual futures with him. It doesn’t seem like they really wanted plural marriages.

Kody Brown from TLC, Sister Wives
Kody Brown/TLC

“Not one husband and multiple heterosexual wives. It will only truly work if it’s a polyamorous arrangement and everyone gets to enjoy multiple partners,” another Redditor added, highlighting the difference between polyamory and polygamy.

“They mention [families] breaking apart and wives leaving in their communities all the time. Their own parents have their own divorces, remarried, etc. Polygamy is a failure of a concept,” another Sister Wives fan added.

What do you believe? Add your own views in the comments below.

Sister Wives fans can tune into TLC each Sunday night at 10 PM eastern time to catch new episodes. Tune in and see what happens next.

Nikole Behrens
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