'Sister Wives' family investigated for bigamy - Entertainment - Reality TV - TODAYshow.comA Utah family with four wives had hoped its participation on a TLC reality TV show would shed light on polygamy.
But now that it is the target of a bigamy investigation by Utah police, one advocate worries that the probe will instill fear in other plural families about going public with their lives.
"If it really goes to a court situation, then our people are going to go right back into isolation," said Anne Wilde, co-founder of Principle Voices, a nonprofit that seeks to educate the public about polygamous families.
Over the past 10 years, Utah's historically insular polygamist community has worked with state agencies to increase understanding of the unique aspects of polygamous culture, Wilde said. As a result, plural families are now less hesitant to seek help and services when needed, she said.
The Brown family's decision to do the reality TV show was sort an extension of that education work, said Wilde, who knows the family well. "Sister Wives," which premiered Sunday, chronicles the life of 41-year-old advertising salesman Kody Brown, his four wives, 13 children and three stepchildren. The Browns, of Lehi, have said they hoped that the peek into their lives would help broaden the public's understanding of plural families.
Lehi police are investigating whether the family is violating bigamy laws in plain view on cable TV. Brown is only legally married to Meri but also calls three other women his spouses: Janelle, Christine and Robyn.
Does this family deserve to be investigated and maybe even charged with breaking the law? Should polygamy even be allowed?
I'll give my viewpoint: I think polygamy is unfair because it caters only to men. Why is it that men get to have all the wives, but women can't have more than one husband? I also believe polygamy hurts women because it makes them highly jealous and competitive with each other (tell me that doesn't happen). Furthermore, polygamy exists in cultures where the men are domineering and the wives exist to serve their husband's ego.
Thoughts?