‘Sister Wives’: Kody Brown Claims Men Want ‘More Than One Woman’ and a Woman Wants a ‘Better Man Than The One She’s Got’
Sister Wives star Kody Brown tried to explain away his version of polygamy in a new interview with the podcast Mormon Discussions. Brown fundamentally believes that men want “more than one woman” and women want “a better man than the one she’s got.”
‘Sister Wives’: Kody Brown reveals his feelings about why polygamy works
Sister Wives star Kody Brown sat down for a lengthy interview for the podcast Mormon Discussions. He shared remarks as to why, after 33 years as a polygamist, he no longer currently practices his faith.
Kody says a lot of the reasons polygamy “works” have to do with the basic needs of both men and women. Each wants more than they have at one particular moment; here’s what he had to say.
At the YouTube video’s 41:39 mark, Kody shares his thoughts. “It’s a paradox. If you ask me if plural marriage or polygamy is good for society, I’m going to tell you it has to be.”
He continued, “You’re never going to stop it, and the reason you’re never going to stop it is because two things are going on. Men are polygynous; we want to have one more woman, no matter how programmed we are for monogamy.”
“Women want a better man than the one she’s got,” Kody explains. “As long as you have hypergamy, you’ll have polygamy, and as long as you have polygamy, you’ll have hypergamy.
What is hypergamy? Is this the basis of Kody and Robyn Brown’s relationship on ‘Sister Wives’?
According to Merriam-Webster, hypergamy is “marriage into an equal or higher caste or social group.” But the podcast’s hosts, Radio Free Morman and Bill Reel looked confused when Kody said that fact; RFM mouthed the word back at Sister Wives star Kody Brown in surprise after he used it.
So, why would Kody Brown equate polygamy and hypergamy? Defined polygamy is marriage in which a spouse of either sex may have more than one mate at the same time.
Licensed clinical social worker Shamyra Howard told Cosmopolitan, “Hypergamy is essentially a patriarchal constructed form of partnership from a time when women had very little education, weren’t able to work, and needed their partner for survival.”
So, do Kody and his wife, Robyn Brown, practice hypergamy rather than polygamy? The concept is interesting based on the fact that Robyn doesn’t work, defers to Kody in all aspects of their lives, and needs him financially for her and her children’s survival.
Therefore, Robyn Brown has subsequently been criticized by fans for how she married into Kody Brown’s family to create a better life for her children. She particularly benefitted from the money they made with TLC as she is Kody Brown’s legal and currently his sole wife.
Kody Brown subsequently called hypergamy ‘sexist’
Shortly after making that blanket statement, Kody Brown called the word hypergamy “sexist.” He continued to dig a deeper hole with the hosts with his follow-up commentary.
“Everyone makes jokes about men and their wandering eyes,” he explained. “The strongest monogamists still go hubba, hubba when a good-looking woman goes by.”
Kody continued, “It’s a biological nature. As long as there’s this woman who wants a married man, this married man is going to want polygamy.”
Sister Wives airs Sundays at 10 p.m. EST on TLC.
