We might not have Man Marries Sheep on Animal Planet just yet, but I know the day of reckoning will soon be upon us because TLC has readied Sister Wives, your Jon & Kate replacement about Kody Brown and his four wives and thirteen children. See what happens when you start letting same-sex wedding announcements into the New York Times, showing lesbian couples on HGTV’s Property Virgins, and giving loving homosexual men their own Planet Green reality show?
The promo spot asks viewers to “rethink love” and “rethink marriage.” How novel.
Sister Wives premieres Sept. 26 on TLC
Steve
To be honest if it’s a real group marriage where everyone is totally equal, I’d have no problems with polygamy.
The main issue is that traditionally, polygamy is strictly patriarchal with the women having little power. Polyandry (one wive with several husbands) has been very rare historically, and even then it includes things like a woman marrying two brothers.
However, I can see legal problems in the case the husband is injured or dies. Like who gets to make medical decisions and how is the property divided. If just two people are involved, those questions are pretty clear cut most of the time.
asa1973
Would TLC (and its subliminal Fundamentalist Christian message) ever consider doing a reality series about – shock – a family with same-sex parents?
Joe
Good. Consenting adults should have the freedom to arrange their personal reltationships any way they like.
Kyle412
@asa1973:
Have you ever watched TLC? One of their biggest hits, WHAT NOT TO WEAR has a gay man hosting it. Randy from SAY YES TO THE DRESS is gay too. Even on CAKE BOSS they have shown Buddy making a cake for a gay couple getting married.
I don’t think Fundamentalist Christians supports polygamy so not sure why you think TLC is targeting this group.
Swedish Fish
Yeah yeah yeah people should have the freedom to do whatever, and if they’re happy that’s great but… VOMIT! I can’t believe the shit women put up with.
adman
What is it about the female component of “LOVE” that is continually preoccupied with the woman debasing herself and getting off on her ability to display that? I guess they think, “well, I can always withhold affection and manipulate him/her that way” or some such. Every time I see “Love” stories with heteros, and, I shamefully admit, Lesbians involved I thank my lucky stars I’m a man who loves a man. Withholding from each other? The other calls bullshit. Controlling the partners access to intimacy? The other calls bullshit. Power dynamics masquerading as “love” is such a feminine paradigm, it reminds me of my mother, which when I think about is deeply creepy, so I move on.
Jen
Disgusting. Polygamy is “woman as chattel,” “woman as baby factory.” How lovely of them to ignore the oppressive nature of it. It’s highly irresponsible to normalize it and consider it cute & quirky. I think TLC won’t be happy until its viewing schedule is 100% “making babies for god.”
Are the fundie Mormons trying to pull off some kind of publicity coup to legalize polygamy in Utah? I wouldn’t be surprised – they’re working on it in Canada as we speak.
This is *very bad* for women.
adam
@Jen: Doubt it’s any sort of effort to “normalize” it. It’s historically been too oppressive of an idea for it to gain any traction in the U.S. I’m also pretty sure that it’s not likely to be legalized in Canada (though it’s already iffishly legal in Alberta).
It’s just a kind of interesting idea for a reality show. I only wish it was, like, from a Mormon (Mormons just ignore that part of their holy book generally, even though it clearly encourages polygamy) or a Muslim or something to portray it as the ridiculous idea that it is. Atleast not some relatively normal looking people…
Jen
@adam: Ohohoho, but they *are* Mormons…
http://www.deadline.com/tag/kody-brown/
Fundamentalist Mormons from Utah.
greenmanTN
As others have said, the main problem with Polygamy is that it is ALWAYS about men with multiple wives and never the reverse. The women are powerless in these situations, as dictated by whatever passes for ‘scripture’ in these sects, and competing for favor against their “sister wives.” Competition among the men for available females drives the age for acceptable “wives” ever lower, since the men have to stake their claim on a girl before another man claims her.
The other problem, one that doesn’t get discussed nearly enough, is that with male and female births being more or less equal (with slightly more women and male birthrates dropping), if men are marrying several women then male children are seen as competition to be gotten rid of. While the girls are “treasured,” at least as sex objects, boys from these polygamous sects are basically dropped off by the side of the road to fend for themselves, suddenly homeless and left for society to deal with. Homeschooled (poorly) and with few marketable skills, the boys often turn to crime, drug addiction, and prostitution. In some places charitable “group homes” have sprung up to address the problem of young male “discards” from polygamous sects. Simple math demonstrates why polygamy is unworkable on a large scale.
merkin
I think consenting adults should be allowed to organize their househoulds however they want, but I dont know that I support legalizing polygymy. I guess the question is, what is marriage? I believe its a contract between two people who are romantically connected. I believe that pairing off has a beneficial effect for society and should be encouraged in certain ways (tax breaks, etc). Once you start rewording what marriage is completely–one man, 7 women–Im not sure what it means anymore. Can I marry my dentist and my accountant? I know that sounds like an argument the anti-marriage equality people use, but the difference is we gays are unable to enter into an intimate relationship with a member of the opposite sex. A polygamist clearly can, he just doesnt want just one.