What am I missing when it comes to polygamy? I was a big fan of the show Big Love which I know does not depict the true bad behind it but just gave us a fictional glimpse into the life of polygamy. I then sat down and watched an episode of Sister Wives with my mom when she was visiting one day. Though I am not a fan of the show I did watch the whole episode. Again I walked away wondering what I was missing.
Both of these shows the husband is only legally married to one woman. The other women they are not legally married to. So where is the problem? What law exactly are they breaking? There are men out there with mistresses and having affairs but you don’t see them being charged and/or sent to jail for being in multiple relationships. So how is it that these consenting adults are considered to be committing a crime for being in more than one relationship?
Yes I understand the dark side that involves children marrying older men. This is a crime. Charge those men. I understand the abuse and again that is a crime and abusers should be charged. I just can’t wrap my head around how it is a crime to be in more than one relationship which is basically what polygamy is. Again how can you charge consenting adults when you are not charging the men who have mistresses or are having affairs. It is the same thing just one involves consenting adults who are aware of the relationship they have agreed to and the other involves lies and sneaking around.
So exactly what am I missing here? I do not understand what makes polygamy a crime.
*Disclosure: Yes I understand women also have affairs I just used men as the example in this post. Also I am not saying I am for or against polygamy, I am simply stating I don’t understand what makes it a crime when compared to other similar life situations.