‘Sister Wives’ Fans Confused by Kody Brown’s Constant Misuse of the Word ‘Gaslighting’
In the October 23 episode of Sister Wives, Kody Brown thinks many of his family members are “gaslighting” him. Some Sister Wives fans are confused by Kody misusing the word and aren’t sure if he’s aware of the word’s meaning. Let’s take a look at what gaslighting actually means.
Kody accuses Gabriel of ‘gaslighting’ him
On the October 23 episode of Sister Wives, Kody and 21-year-old son Gabriel are trying to level Janelle’s new fifth-wheel trailer on the Coyote Pass property. The disagreement on how to do it property turned into opening up about how strained their relationship has become.
“Me and my dad, we don’t talk as much as we used to. Ever since we talked about COVID and stuff, and I voiced how I was not appreciating how he was handling it, tensions have been really high,” Gabriel told the cameras.
“It just seems like he’s tired of putting effort in maintaining something with me,” the 21-year-old said of his relationship with his father. He holds back tears as he tries to figure out what he did “wrong.”
In Kody’s interview, he says that Gabriel should know what he did wrong by not following his strict protocol regarding the coronavirus. “The whole issue with me and Gabriel isn’t that Gabriel doesn’t know what’s going on, but Gabriel knew what the rules were,” the father of 18 said. “He was gaslighting me, I feel like,” Kody concludes.
Kody also thinks Janelle is ‘gaslighting’ him about his COVID-19 rules
After months of strict protocol to avoid the coronavirus spreading throughout the family, Kody decides to travel to Oklahoma to officiate his friend’s wedding. Janelle, who was repremended by Kody for traveling to visit her older children during the coronavirus pandemic, talks about the hypocrisy of Kody’s rules.
“The travel choice is interesting to me. And I realize it’s important. But Kody and Robyn, still observe the very strict rules about COVID and yeah, here’s Kody traveling,” Janelle tells the camera.
Kody then accuses Janelle of gaslighting him. “It’s strange that Janelle’s in this headspace, because I sequestered and stayed home for 15 months,” he retorts. “Janelle and Christine didn’t. But the family wasn’t getting together before that, and the family isn’t getting together now, not because of COVID.” Kody calls Janelle’s logic “a gaslighting fallacy.”
What is ‘gaslighting’?
Sister Wives fans noticed that Kody felt “gaslit” by two family members in the span of one episode and aren’t convinced he knows what the word actually means.
This psychological term was named after the 1938 stage play Gas Light, in which a husband attempts to drive his wife crazy by dimming the lights in their home, and then when his wife points it out, he denies that the light changed.
According to the National Domestic Violence Hotline, Gaslighting is “an extremely effective form of emotional abuse that causes a victim to question their own feelings, instincts, and sanity, which gives the abusive partner a lot of power.” And it’s known that power and control are the basis of all domestic abuse.
‘Sister Wives’ fans think Kody doesn’t know what ‘gaslighting’ actually means
So is Kody using the word “gaslighting” correctly? Sister Wives fans don’t think so. One fan wrote via Reddit, “Gaslighting fallacy? My man stop using words you don’t understand.” Another fan commented, “It’s like he just learned what gaslighting is.”
Other fans find it actually more sinister that Kody is using these psychological “buzz words” in an attempt to make himself look like the victim. It’s almost like Kody accusing his family members of “gaslighting” him is his own way of shifting blame, which just so happens to be a form of gaslighing.
New episodes of Sister Wives Season 17 air Sundays at 10 p.m. EST on TLC.
How to get help: In the U.S., call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or text START to 88788.
