The Cultural Relativism of Polygyny

As I am reading over my blogs I am actually surprised at how I originally viewed polygyny. I feel as though so much has changed in my understanding and feelings towards this culture. Honestly I didn’t think this would happen, I knew how I felt about polygyny, it was wrong in so many ways, and I didn’t think I would ever feel any differently. Now when I talk to friends about this culture I find myself defending it if for no other reason than because it’s a culture that deserves respect just like any other.

Polygyny can make sense. I have discovered many characteristics of polygyny which are positive whereas I used to only see the negative. For example the large families generally produced by polygyny can be seen as extensive support systems unique to this culture. Another unique aspect of polygyny which I had never really considered was the relationships of sisterwives. Though this may not be true in all instances but in many the bond of sisterwives is intimate and fulfilling. This relationship is not possible outside of polygyny and can’t even really be equated to any relationship found in monogamist culture. Both of these examples demonstrate some of the positive aspects of polygyny I have explored of which there are more.

I have also learned through this experience of writing a blog that though it is easy to agree with my own culture and its practices because that is what I am most familiar with, this doesn’t mean that it is right, or wrong. I understand that every culture is different and the differences don’t make one culture better than another, just simply different. This has made me reevaluate how I view other cultures, but also how I view my own. Maybe things I thought I understood or believed in don’t mean the same thing. In discovering the cultural relativism of polygyny I understand the cultural relativism of all cultures in general.

I still don’t think that I will ever experience this culture first hand, but I have a better understanding of those who do. Though this study only slightly improved my overall knowledge of this culture, I still believe that there is much to learn, it definitely increased my interest and I hope to continue to explore and understand polygyny.

Polygyny from and Anthropological Point of View

I have really been exploring this topic from a singular point of view and looking at the different aspects of polygenic culture independently. Because of this I don’t feel like I have fully understood the culture in terms of humanity and the overall study of humans, as we do in anthropology.

Polygenetic culture exhibits different family dynamics, gender roles and in most instances importance of religion compared to typical American monogamist culture. I am interested in looking at these distinctions from an anthropological point of view and because of this desire to broadly explore polygyny I will be generalizing about the culture though I understand that there is much variation within polygyny as in any culture.

Distinct family dynamics are identified with polygyny. In general the man takes on a more powerful role as the central provider for the family. This is also the general role of the male in a monogamist relationship but I think that in polygyny this is more expected and exaggerated. The women are the caretakers and homemakers. Though many work outside the home in addition to this traditional role, their first priorities are as wives and mothers. These familial dynamics also describe the gender roles prescribed by polygyny. In general women do not have equivalent power as men, polygyny is a patriarchal culture.

The religious aspect of Mormon polygyny, which I was trying to focus on in order to concentrate my study, is an important part of this culture. Religion is a universal theme, found in all cultures. Research has shown that religions which require believers to sacrifice more in the name of faith have more loyal followers and therefore the church is more secure. I believe that polygyny as a requirement of certain sects of Mormon religion is an example of this. By practicing polygyny followers demonstrate their loyalty to the faith and this secures the presence and power of the church which is better able to strongly continue.

Polygyny as a culture is dynamic and exhibits variety, but as a study of anthropology there are distinct characteristics of this culture, especially when it is compared to mainstream monogamist American culture which I am more familiar with. These features of polygyny are what make this culture distinct.

A Personal Perspective: Real Life Polygyny

I was ecstatic to discover that someone “out there” in the world actually read my blog, I guess I never really thought that this would happen. It made me think about the bigger picture and I was interested in what other people were writing about. I found two really interesting blogs written by women involved in polygyny, incidentally they are both third wives but lead relatively different lives. I read about their stories in the blogs “The Third” and “new#3” both posted on Blogger. I have also briefly explored a blog from the male perspective of polygyny called “My two wives”.

All of these people have made polygyny real for me. Before I started reading these blogs polygyny was simply a story in a book. I never really understood the personal experience but these blogs have given me unique insight into this culture and have allowed me to see how it works on a more personal, modern level. In general reading about other people’s experiences and thoughts on polygyny as they are living the culture has been highly educational. Some aspects that I thought I understood, such as the unique bond of sisterwives or the overall structure of a plural family, are not as simple or definable as I was making them. Just like monogamist relationships and families, polygyny can be complicated and everyone’s situation is different, whether good or bad. I am now thinking of polygyny as just another type of family in the large spectrum of situations including monogamist, gay, strait, and open, as well as more I am sure.

This exploration into other blogs has really broadened my understanding of this culture. I think of it in terms of real people now and because of this it’s not so easy to say that polygyny is negative. When I read about the feelings and beliefs of people that actually live and understand the culture of polygyny, it made me realize how much I still don’t fully comprehend.


http://3rdlady.blogspot.com
http://journeyinpluralmarriage.blogspot.com/

Children of Polygyny

Polygyny, though generally recognized as a man with multiple wives, is more accurately described as a plural family and not just plural marriage. Generally many children are raised in this culture and I think that their presence tends to be over looked. When I originally stated my opinions on polygyny, from a completely uneducated subjective point of view, I was quick to identify negative aspects of this culture when concerning children. I thought that meaningful loving relationships would be difficult to form in these large families, and that children - especially young girls - were not treated properly, but I am now interested in looking at the possible positive aspects of raising a child in this culture as well as being a child of polygyny.

I have heard media accounts of twelve year old girls marrying sixty year old men and wide spread abuse in Mormon fundamentalist groups, but I can’t believe that this is all true. I am not denying that in some instances these horrible practices do occur, but they also take place in mainstream monogamist American culture. I have thought of positive qualities of polygenic families and some of these benefits can’t be found in a monogamist family, at least not in the same respect.

Children of modern polygyny are provided with a large diverse support system consisting of many female and male role models. This system also provides support for the parents in terms of emotional as well as financial assistance. Typical large family size requires additional help from children, but it also allows children to work together and care for one another. I think that children that grow up in polygyny are raised with a strong sense of culture and intense faith and religious beliefs important to this culture. This intern provides them with a strong sense of self and purpose.

I am not denying that there aren’t negative aspects to raising a child in a polygenic family; I am simply stating that it is much too easy to say that monogamy is right and polygyny is wrong and paint the issue black and white. There are plenty of familial problems that can be found in monogamist families. Just because I am unfamiliar with this type of child hood does not automatically make it immoral. I would be extremely interested in learning more about childhood in polygenic culture, so far my thoughts have been prompted from research books and articles; I have no knowledge of the personally experience.