Most of last night’s episode of Sister Wives dealt with the wives joining a gym and working out. It was especially tough for Jenelle, the heaviest of the wives, because she doesn’t like to talk about her weight, and feels that it’s the one area of her life where she lacks strength and confidence.
But! Although Meri said that Robin, the most slender wife, isn’t a threat to her relationship with Kody, Jenelle later said she wishes she could eat anything she wants, like Robin can. (Christine said working out — while referencing Robin’s body — “I don’t want to be too skinny.”)
In between all the body image talk, Kody and the wives had dinner with Danielle, a woman who studies and teaches theology. Kody did a poor job of explaining how his Mormonism (Apostolic United Brethren Church) is different from FLDS. No one brought up Warren Jeffs, or how Joseph Smith’s own wife was against polygamy. Christine thought it was nice that the lady didn’t think they were in a “cult.”
Just to repeat: The wives want to get fit, but not because Kody just married a new, more svelte lady. Robin would like for you to know that Kody has told her that he likes “curvy girls,” and she’s not one. Sweet.
The truth is, it’s great that these ladies can work out together, eat meals together and form a kind of support group. But on the other hand, there is a really strange competitive aspect to the whole thing. It may not be about being the skinniest wife, but they do vie for Kody’s attention, and they are each trying to find some peace, sense of self and happiness in a religion where a crew of women dote on one man, but a woman is not allowed to have multiple husbands and get three or four times the love and male attention. (In fact, the idea of one of his wives with another woman makes Kody “sick”.)