Newsworthy #1

Sister Wives

The TLC network has a new show that debuted Sunday, September 26, called Sister Wives. It follows a polygamist family of one husband, three wives and 12 children, that all live together. The first episode was an introduction to their lives, and at the end there was a highlight reel of the season to come. During this season the family will take on another wife and her three children from a previous marriage. The show has sparked a lot of debate and news articles, and also a Utah police investigation to see if the family’s actions are to be deemed illegal. Although Kody Brown, the husband, is only legally married to one wife, the authorities are looking into things because bigamy is a third-degree felony in the state, and cohabitation is one of the determining factors. One article on Slate.com details how the show has made polygamy seem quite attractive.

The article, How The TLC Show "Sister Wives" Makes Polygamy Seem Appealing, was posted on Slate September 30. Slate is a daily online magazine, and the article came out on one of the site’s many blogs, DoubleX. On Slate’s About Us page, they write about themselves that they offer “…analysis and commentary about politics, news, business, technology, and culture.” It goes on to say that Slate has a “strong editorial voice and witty take on current events.” The blog’s tagline reads “XX factor, What women really think.” The blog is updated daily by different writers, and the pieces focus on issues going on in the media that affect women. The fact that this item of news is from a blog makes one question it a little more than if it was a straight news article from a newspaper. When reading a blog, the reader knows that more opinion is thrown into the mix than in a newspaper article, but the honesty can be refreshing. I checked other news sources to make sure this author had basic facts about the television show correct.

This particular article was written by the managing editor of the blog, Jessica Grose, who has also co-authored a book titled Love, Mom: Poignant, Goofy, Brilliant Messages from Home. Her bio on the site says that she has written for Jezebel, New York Times, the Village Voice, Salon, and Radar. One of her posts on Jezebel about Sarah Palin actually caused a Fox News anchor to denounce her on air. The bio also says she and another writer run a website called www.PostcardsFromYoMomma.com, a humorous site about correspondences between mother and child. Upon further research, Grose’s personal site popped up, www.JessicaGrose.com. Many of her articles are about what it’s like being a woman in the 2000’s and about relationships that mothers have with their children. On her Slate blog, she writes candidly about issues that affect women. One of her recent posts on the blog, Why Compelling Democratic Women Candidates Matter, explains that the left side of politics needs a female candidate with the charisma of Sarah Palin, but with better ideas and a platform they can agree with. Grose lets it be known that she detests Palin, but respects how Palin has marketed herself to women. On other websites, Grose writes about the trials and tribulations of her college days including losing her virginity, dating losers and lying to friends. Grose is a very open and honest writer, and her biases definitely come through.

The fact that there is a reality show about a polygamist family in the first place says something about our culture. This isn’t the first time a TV show has delved into this kind of family, but it may be the most “real,” in-depth coverage. Before this series, HBO had a scripted television show called Big Love that focused a lot on the sexual relationships of a polygamist family, and many talk-shows and news hours have covered polygamist communities. Warren Jeffs, church leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has been in the news for arranging marriages with girls under 18, and encouraging their new husbands to have sex with them, which is statutory rape. A lot of the coverage of polygamist families is focused on child abuse, but the show doesn’t touch on that at all. This series is newsworthy because it shows the women and this religion in a way they are not usually portrayed; normal.

This is what Grose is trying to get at in her article. She highlights how the entire show is filmed and edited in a way to make this family look normal, and almost better then the average family. While Grose briefly gives in to this idea, she quickly comes back to say that there is a question as to whether the women really had a choice in the matter. It is great to see this religion portrayed in a good way for once, if it is real, and it definitely adds to the study of women and religion. This religion is often cited as one that uses and abuses women from an early age, and puts them in an extremely secondary position to the man. This show does work to dispel those old feelings about polygamists. Though the show demonstrates that the women came freely into the marriage and are happy to have the other wives and children in the family, the man is still definitely in control. Polygamy is such an interesting topic to talk about in terms of women and religion because on one hand, women are treasured and coveted— but on the other hand, the man is still the decision-maker and the one that gets to enjoy multiple partners. Grose brings up an interesting point, “However, one has to wonder how much of a "choice" it was for the women raised in polyg families, who have never known any other sort of relationship.”

This article suggests that the media thrives on reporting about polygamist families. This show is worth talking about because it gets people hot and bothered; it stirs up emotions and differing viewpoints, and it gets people to discuss. Now that the era of legalized gay marriage is here, the next question just may be about legalized polygamist marriages. The fact that women willingly enter into a union where they have to share a man is just something that people will enjoy debating about for years to come. The way that this family does things could be empowering to women; it allows time and energy to focus on things other than the kids and household. But this system also does damage against a female’s confidence; it may instill jealousy and feelings of inadequacy. The two sides of polygamy regarding women will always be talked about and analyzed because two-person relationships are the “norm” in this country.