‘Sister Wives’: Janelle Brown Isn’t a Strong, Independent Woman, According to Some Fans; She’s Just Used to Being Neglected
After 17 seasons of TLC’s Sister Wives, it’s clear to most fans that patriarch Kody Brown has favorites regarding his four wives and 17 children. To most fans, it’s clear Kody’s second wife Janelle Brown has not earned a spot on his very short favorites list.
While some viewers think Janelle just isn’t dependent on Kody, others feel she is simply neglected. Read on to learn more about what fans say about Kody and Janelle’s rocky relationship and where it may be heading.
Do Janelle and Kody Brown simply have a marriage of convenience?
Kody and Janelle tied the knot in January 1993. However, this wasn’t the first marriage for either party. According to Fandom, Kody wed his first wife Meri in 1990. Interestingly, Janelle’s first marriage in 1988 was to Meri’s brother, Adam Barber.
After a couple of years of marriage, Janelle and Adam divorced. She decided to enter polygamy and spiritually marry Kody as the second wife.
Once Janelle and Kody wed, they wasted no time starting their family. Their first child, Logan, was born in May 1994. The couple went on to have five more children together: Maddie, Hunter, Garrison, Gabe, and Savanah. Their youngest child together was born in 2004. They began filming for their reality show in 2010.
Since the premiere of Sister Wives, it’s been clear Kody and Janelle have lacked passion and intimacy in their marriage for many years. While they have always seemed to have a strong friendship, fans have also witnessed a breakdown in even their platonic relationship over the last couple of seasons.
Is Janelle an independent woman or just used to being the neglected wife?
Janelle has always been a breadwinner for the large Brown brood. Many Sister Wives fans “stan” Janelle for being a strong independent woman who provides for the family. However, while some see Janelle as an inspiration, others simply think she’s always been the most neglected wife in the family.
Viewers took to Reddit to discuss Janelle and Kody’s relationship. One fan started the discussion with “Janelle is not a self-proclaimed strong independent woman like everyone thinks. She’s just neglected. CHANGE MY MIND.” Responses quickly came in to this prompt. RuNigerianBaby posted:
“Kody absolutely neglects Janelle and takes her for granted. Reading their book made me think that Janelle’s first marriage had a negative impact on her.
After that I believe she resigned herself to accept less from a husband, but framed it as ‘I’m being an independent woman.’ Even in a recent episode, she said her marriage with Kody was adequate, which was really heartbreaking to hear.”
Caprine_Iconoclast shared, “I think both statements can be true. She is a strong independent woman that needs way less from a man. (That’s not to say that people who need more are wrong or less than others, it’s just a personality trait.) But she is also neglected. Her personality lends her the tolerance to exist in a relationship where she is neglected and be happy, and potentially thrive.”
AliceInWeirdoland addressed how Kody and Janelle’s relationship has impacted their children the most, writing:
“She might proclaim to be okay with this level of a relationship, but you can see the damage done through her kids. Several of her sons have had huge blow outs with Kody about him neglecting their part of the family, and poor Savannah was apparently miserable in the trailer while her father lived in his mansion with the part of the family he actually likes.”
Will Janelle be the next sister wife to leave Kody?
Whether or not fans think Janelle is a strong independent woman or simply neglected, one abundantly clear thing is that Kody and Janelle are experiencing a breakdown in their relationship. Over the last two seasons of Sister Wives, fans have seen Kody and Janelle come to blows over pandemic protocols.
One big issue was that Kody wanted Janelle to force their two youngest sons, Garrison and Gabe, to move out of their home because they were working, going to school, and socializing. Janelle flat-out said no, adding, “Dude, you’re not even on the lease.”
Kody’s third wife, Christine, left the family in 2021. With all the building friction in the Brown family, fans think Janelle might be the next wife to leave Kody.
Since mid-2022, rumors have to circulate on the internet that Janelle has already left Kody. However, neither party has publicly addressed any of these rumors. Only time will tell how many wives Kody Brown will have left by the last season of Sister Wives.
