Sister Wives

A very popular hit show on TLC called "Sister Wives" documents the lifestyle of a polygamist family.  Kody Brown, his four wives, and seventeen children live in Las Vegas, Nevada. Three out of the four wives were raised in the lifestyle of polygamy, however just like in the other stories they were not predestined for this kind of lifestyle. Robyn was married in a monogamous relationship and the sister wives wanted to bring her into the family after Robyn got a divorce. Each wife has their own home, and lives with their own kids and Kody rotates between each home on a specific schedule. Each wife has felt jealousy towards each other especially towards Robyn. In the beginning of each episode each parent says something they like about the sister wives:

Meri- "I believe in living this lifestyle it makes each of us better"

Janelle- "I think we have something really awesome I wouldn't want anything else "

Christine- "I like sister wives -- I wanted a family, I didn't just want a man"

Robyn- "It seems like destiny like we should have all been together since day one"

Kody- "Love should be multiplied not divided"

Sister Wives Interview on Ellen

Could you imagine "having" four moms or "having" your fifteen brother and sisters from the age of one to eighteen? What about being the first wife and watching your husband marry other women? Or even the thought of your father not basically being a nomad traveling from house to house... every four days you have your dad home. IT ALL BLOWS ME AWAY. I understand it is what makes them happy and that is the kind of life they want to be in but I do not think I could handle that! It is weird to think that polygamy is so taboo to me but natural to others. I wonder if I do something that is normal to me but taboo to others. I think Robyn shows that she truly wants to be in that kind of lifestyle, being that she grew up in it I would expect her to know if she liked it or not. However, she tried out being in a monogamous relationship and that seemed to fall apart and she seems happy where she is now being a sister wive. Robyn proves that is not a lifestyle they feel pressured to be apart. 

Polygamy Laws in the US

Poly=many Gamos=marriage

As you have found out, Polygamy is the practice of having several spouses at once. This could technically be more than one husband but, in most cases it is one husband and several wives. Polygamy is illegal in many states and in most states it is a felony. All states in the U.S. have always made different laws against bigamy. (Bigamy is going through another marriage while married to someone already.)   Bigamy is a misdemeanor in Alaska, Arkansas, Hawaii (30 days in jail), Iowa, Maine, Missouri, Montana Nebraska, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee,and Texas. The US laws prohibits a certified married man and women to be in marriage with another male or female. However, there seems to be a small grey area where the laws are put to the side. For example, communities are formed by the LDS (Latter Day Saints Church)and they made up a form of religious practice called "plural marriage". Although Polygamy is unusual to most areas of the United States, there are somewhere between 40-55 thousand polygamist in the U.S.. The lifestyle or crime is treated differently depending on where you are in the U.S. some states you may just have to pay a fine, others you can be prisoned, and some areas in certain states just pretend you don't exist 


Oprah-- Polygamy in America
US Marriage Laws
Definition of Polygamy

The Polygamist Article

Right outside of Salt Lake City a man named Joe Darger reveals his lifestyle that has been secretive for over 20 years. The Darger's publicized the book " Love Times Three" and expressed their beliefs publicly. They have taken a risky move and now they are in the danger of potential prosecution. Polygamy is illegal in the United States but the Darger's feel that the only way to make a change is stand up for what they believe in, even if it makes the rest of the society uncomfortable. Although polygamy may seem very weird to outsiders, the Darger's are considered unusual inside of polygamy. Th family started out with one two best friends Alina and Vicki and there boyfriend Joe. After getting married at the same time ten years later, Vicki's identical twin got proposed to and joined the Darger family. In polygamist families, it is strange to have twin sisters marry into the same family. The wives explain in "Love Times Three" that they all share different love experiences with Joe. Also they expressed that three women and one man can sometimes lead to many misunderstandings but never jealousy. The Darger family knows that they are putting their lives in danger with the law and understand that people think they are different. The teenagers are convinced that " it is ignorance that keeps people from accepting their families way of life".  Most of the Darger children are unsure if they will choose a polygamous or monogamous marriage when they are ready, but they are all open to the option of both. 

The Entire Darger Family

Joe, Vicki,Val,&Alina Darger

Overall the article Modern Polygamist Family: Why They're Risking Jail, made me understand much more about Polygamist and how their families operate. Just like anytime when a person is trying to make a change they publicize what they believe in; this is why I understand that they are risking jail. For example, when women or black Americans wanted to be treated equal and have the right to vote they stood up for what they believed in even though they were risking their lives. It is easy to understand why they are publicizing it but it is hard for me to understand why they want to be in that kind of relationship. I am just so used to monogamous marriages that the idea of a polygamous marriage boggles my mind. When I was reading the article I couldn't stop thinking "how do they sleep at night and is there ever one on one time with the wive and husband"? Well I got my answer in this sentence : "whether it's being left at home with the kids while Joe takes one of the wives for a date night or stumbling upon a pair of Joe's underwear in another sister wife's bed" I do not know about you but this baffled me. I could not even imagine that. I do not understand how the wives don't have tension or jealously  between each other and constant competition.  Later in the article the daughter Laura  explains that it is not in every ones "future dreams or plans" but "God changes people's hearts. You know sometimes there are things you don't think you can do but when God asks you, you do it." In many religions there are very strong beliefs and they must follow what there leader or God calls them to do. The Dargers must have all felt a very strong bond and call from God to live this lifestyle.