Season 1 Promo
This blog post will look at the above image and the text of the 2010 TLC show, Sister Wives,
about a polygamist family in Utah, the Browns, who subscribe to the fundamentalist Mormon
faith. The symbolism in the above image is simple and mirrors the implications of the show for
women both in and outside of the polygamist community. Using a feminist lens, the analysis of
the image mirror the show's emphasis on the patriarchal system of the Brown family and the
dominance of men over women in the form of polygamist marriage. Although the show hopes
to portray this implementation of faith in a positive and compassionate light, there are many
flaws in this representation that ignore obvious gender inequalities.
about a polygamist family in Utah, the Browns, who subscribe to the fundamentalist Mormon
faith. The symbolism in the above image is simple and mirrors the implications of the show for
women both in and outside of the polygamist community. Using a feminist lens, the analysis of
the image mirror the show's emphasis on the patriarchal system of the Brown family and the
dominance of men over women in the form of polygamist marriage. Although the show hopes
to portray this implementation of faith in a positive and compassionate light, there are many
flaws in this representation that ignore obvious gender inequalities.
One of the more obvious elements of this image is the golden symbols of men and women.
These are meant to be wedding bands that symbolize the women being bound to the men through
the interlocking rings with no room for escape. Within this image, there is also the overwhelming
indication that the women are dependent on the man and are being supported by him, lest they
fall. The male sign, though, appears to support itself and is the stronger unit that is able to carry
the three female symbols easily, while the female signs dangle beneath him, vulnerable and weak.
These are meant to be wedding bands that symbolize the women being bound to the men through
the interlocking rings with no room for escape. Within this image, there is also the overwhelming
indication that the women are dependent on the man and are being supported by him, lest they
fall. The male sign, though, appears to support itself and is the stronger unit that is able to carry
the three female symbols easily, while the female signs dangle beneath him, vulnerable and weak.
The female symbols are also indistinguishable from each other, reducing their uniqueness and
individuality and reducing them to only their gender stereotypes. Their position in the household
is not matriarchal or valuable, but is instead defined by their function as a wife, given importance
through marriage to a man. The role of Kody's wives is merely that: they only have value as a wife,
a hanging wedding ring, a child-giving, and homemaker. This is reflected in the show's repeated
subscript of the wive's names with their corresponding number (wife #1, wife #2, wife #3, wife #4)
while Kody's subscript labels him as “the patriarch.” There is a scene in the first season where
Christine discusses how she only ever considered joining a family as wife #3, a position she feels
provides balance to the sisterhood. Statements such as these reinforce the idea that the women
are active members in creating their own dependence and obedience to Kody.
individuality and reducing them to only their gender stereotypes. Their position in the household
is not matriarchal or valuable, but is instead defined by their function as a wife, given importance
through marriage to a man. The role of Kody's wives is merely that: they only have value as a wife,
a hanging wedding ring, a child-giving, and homemaker. This is reflected in the show's repeated
subscript of the wive's names with their corresponding number (wife #1, wife #2, wife #3, wife #4)
while Kody's subscript labels him as “the patriarch.” There is a scene in the first season where
Christine discusses how she only ever considered joining a family as wife #3, a position she feels
provides balance to the sisterhood. Statements such as these reinforce the idea that the women
are active members in creating their own dependence and obedience to Kody.
Big hugs for everyone sleeping with my husband!
An aspect of community is created between the women, where they live in the same house,
share chores, cook, raise each other's children, and two of them have full-time jobs. There are
many sentimental scenes where the women describe their sister wives as their best friends and
are glad that they can go through the world with their friends by their side. In the traditional sense
of friends, though, one would think of a friend who sleeps with your husband as the worst friend,
not the best. Outside of the polygamist lens, these women are keeping their enemies closest, but
within the polygamist structure, Meri, Janelle, Christine, and later, Robyn, view each other as the
best support system, best friends, and mothers to each others' children.
share chores, cook, raise each other's children, and two of them have full-time jobs. There are
many sentimental scenes where the women describe their sister wives as their best friends and
are glad that they can go through the world with their friends by their side. In the traditional sense
of friends, though, one would think of a friend who sleeps with your husband as the worst friend,
not the best. Outside of the polygamist lens, these women are keeping their enemies closest, but
within the polygamist structure, Meri, Janelle, Christine, and later, Robyn, view each other as the
best support system, best friends, and mothers to each others' children.
The show puts heavy emphasis on the Brown's family as an alternative lifestyle, but an acceptable
one and almost always begins and ends each episode with an attention to the benefits and positive
aspects of living as “sister wives”. This image, through a feminist lens, can be seen as offensive to
women and subjecting them as only as important as the man who supports them and marries them
and that their position is solidified by the inevitability of getting married. It also capitalizes on the vulnerability of women and the process of marriage solely as an identity-forming action.
one and almost always begins and ends each episode with an attention to the benefits and positive
aspects of living as “sister wives”. This image, through a feminist lens, can be seen as offensive to
women and subjecting them as only as important as the man who supports them and marries them
and that their position is solidified by the inevitability of getting married. It also capitalizes on the vulnerability of women and the process of marriage solely as an identity-forming action.
In playing devil's advocate to myself, I tried to image a show that had various forms of family
make-ups and what their corresponding logos might look like. In each other couple I could imagine,
female with female, male with male, and female with male, the idea of the partnership creates two interlocking rings that are on equal fields and connect, both strong and upright, working in tandem
as a union, as I would expect a union to operate. So, my issue is, would I be equally offended by the
female symbol supporting three male symbols? The answer is, on a fundamental level, that the issue
of inequality is the largest hurdle that the Sister Wives image portrays and one that would be equally offensive in any of the above scenarios if even one ring was shown as being beneath any other. This
idea of support and dependence creates the idea of an unequal marriage, which is an idea central to
that of the show and the fundamental faith that purports this type of union. Why, then, does the show
not have interlocking rings that more represent Olympic rings, strong on their own, but still creating
an even stronger structure by being connected? Why do the women have to hang on their husband,
weak, dependent, and vulnerable?
make-ups and what their corresponding logos might look like. In each other couple I could imagine,
female with female, male with male, and female with male, the idea of the partnership creates two interlocking rings that are on equal fields and connect, both strong and upright, working in tandem
as a union, as I would expect a union to operate. So, my issue is, would I be equally offended by the
female symbol supporting three male symbols? The answer is, on a fundamental level, that the issue
of inequality is the largest hurdle that the Sister Wives image portrays and one that would be equally offensive in any of the above scenarios if even one ring was shown as being beneath any other. This
idea of support and dependence creates the idea of an unequal marriage, which is an idea central to
that of the show and the fundamental faith that purports this type of union. Why, then, does the show
not have interlocking rings that more represent Olympic rings, strong on their own, but still creating
an even stronger structure by being connected? Why do the women have to hang on their husband,
weak, dependent, and vulnerable?
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