Category Archives: Polygamy

Get real time updates directly on you device, subscribe now.

Sister Wives star, Janelle Brown is being dragged by fans for her selfish behaviour and for not supporting Meri, Christine, and Robyn, the other wives of Kody Brown.

Sister Wives is currently airing its 15thseason. When the show first began, the plural family lived together in Lehi, Utah, but they eventually relocated to Las Vegas, Nevada. They moved because polygamous relationships were considered illegal in Utah. After years in Nevada, they moved again and relocated to Arizona, where they have been living since. Fans thought they were living happily until recently.

During the season 15 finale, Christine revealed that she was unhappy in the marriage and that she wantedto move back to Utah. She thought that the other wives would be happy to move back to Utah since the ban of polygamy over there has been lifted. None of the other wives agreed with her, saying there have nothing to do in Utah.

However, fans are not happy with the way Janelle responded to Christine. They think Janelle is selfish, and while Meri was consoling Christine who was upset, Janelle showed that she was happy she got what she wanted.

One Sister Wives fan, in particular, had so much to say about how Janelle has portrayed herself on the TLC show since it started airing. The fan said that she always came of as a lazy person who relied heavily on her husband and her sister wives to raise her kids, while she focused on herself. The fan said thatJanelle doesnt care about what Christine wants despite the fact thatprobably owes Christine who practically raised her kids for her.

Fans have issues with the fact that Janelle does not want to go back to Utah because there is nothing there for her. They think she is selfish because Christines family is there. And she has a sick dad, with whom she wants her kids to spend time.

Christines desire for more in her marriage than she already has could lead to her leaving the marriage to find something new. She is yet to leave, but it looks like she may leave anytime. Also, there are hints that Kody Brown is ready to settle down with one of his wives, and fans think he will choose his favorite, Robyn.

Remember to stay up to date with the latest news on TheOvertimer. Dont forget to visit Gamestingr for great videos, news, and gameplay!

Excerpt from:

TLC 'Sister Wives': Fans Blast Janelle Brown Over Her Selfishness And Behaviour Towards Other Wives - The Overtimer

BEIRUT--During the past two decades and with the beginning of satellite broadcasting, Gulf drama production has undergone a transformation.

This has developed a local character for TV dramas and cut reliance on shows bought in from traditional suppliers such as Egypt, Syria and Lebanon.

But Gulf drama production still faces many challenges which are hindering its development and the wider distribution of its programmes in the Arab world.

Looking at the Ramadan season TV broadcasts, one can sum up these limiting factors as the scarcity of productions, the weakness of scripts and the repetitive treatment of the same social issues.

In some of the works broadcast during the current Ramadan season there are episodes within the same series that fluctuate in quality between the good and the bad, as in the series No Walking by the Saudi actor Nasser Al-Qusaibi. Some series were filled with overused clichs as in the Kuwaiti series Amina Haf with the actress Ilham al-Fadala, which raised the issue of polygamy without adding anything new to the subject.

Other comedies were filled with comments inspired by social media debates, such as the series Studio 21, without paying any real attention to the plot. Some of the output seemed almost identical to previous shows featuring the same stars.

Among the most prominent causes of the crisis in Gulf drama is the limited number of productions. This clearly affects their quality.

The region does not lack the capital needed to produce good made-for-TV drama. But drama production is only one link within a wider industry that needs an harmonious interplay between all its various links, from production to distribution and the availability of technical personnel. Without that whole chain, local production companies are reluctant to take risks.

This is why most producers prefer working with tried and tested models to ensure a return on their investment.

This is reflected in the nature of productions that usually address social issues, with shooting limited to the interiors of Gulf homes, with their exaggerated furnishings and luxury cars.

Saudi director, Muhammad Dahham al-Shammari, says that such shows no longer meet the taste and aspirations of the audience and their eagerness for a different and novel drama.

He believes that most of the work produced in the Gulf falls into the trap of stereotypes, repetition and superficiality at the level of stories, starring actors and visual artistry.

Among the other shortcomings of the Gulf drama is its dependence on single stars, as is the case with the Kuwaiti series Margaret with the Kuwaiti actress Hayat Al-Fahd. Dependence on one single star has become a common phenomenon today in Gulf drama and there are series written specifically for particular stars.

But the major scourge of Gulf drama is censorship. There is no doubt that this handicaps Arab drama in general. But censorship in Gulf shows seems to be more stringent than in other places and this prevents the discussion of many pressing topics and dynamic ideas that exist in society.

Taboos and exaggerations

Shammari believes that such topics have become strict taboos that cannot be treated in TV drama without provoking a lot of controversy and turmoil.

Faced with the limited script options, the actors, directors and the entire technical staff are forced to accept what is available. This leads to shallow productions with predictable topics.

Usually, Gulf drama writers resort to ruses in drafting scripts or directing some shows in order to comply with the conditions or observations imposed by the regulatory institutions.

The red lines of Arab censorship in drama and cinematography include the traditional trio of politics, sex, and religion.

As for Gulf censorship, it adds to these a number of other exaggerated caveats such as setting limits to the way in which Gulf women can appear.

A Kuwaiti censorship official said that the role of censorship is to preserve the high status of Kuwaiti women, so that they do not appear in inappropriate social or economic postures.

He believes for instance, that a woman cannot play the role of a restaurant waitress in a TV series.

As strange as this statement is, it reflects the nature of the limited margin of manoeuvre within which drama writers in the Arabian Gulf must move. Such restrictions reflect obviously on the quality of the works they eventually produce.

See the original post:

Excessive censorship handicaps Arab Gulf TV dramas | | AW - The Arab Weekly

It is highly unlikely that late Zulu king Goodwill Zwelithinis eldest wife queen Sibongile Dlamini could have her civil marriage recognised as the king's sole union, considering that customary law allows polygamy, cultural experts say. In two court applications before the Pietermaritzburg Magistrate's Court, Dlamini argues that she is the late king's only legitimate wife, since they were married under civil law which prohibits polygamous marriages. ALSO READ: Before he was King Zwelithini, he was just our brother Goodwill And while anything could happen in court, it is highly unlikely Dlamini would be successful for a range of complex reasons,...

It is highly unlikely that late Zulu king Goodwill Zwelithinis eldest wife queen Sibongile Dlamini could have her civil marriage recognised as the kings sole union, considering that customary law allows polygamy, cultural experts say.

In two court applications before the Pietermaritzburg Magistrates Court, Dlamini argues that she is the late kings only legitimate wife, since they were married under civil law which prohibits polygamous marriages.

ALSO READ: Before he was King Zwelithini, he was just our brother Goodwill

And while anything could happen in court, it is highly unlikely Dlamini would be successful for a range of complex reasons, former UCT vice-chancellor and commissioner of the South African Law Reform Commission, Professor Thandabantu Nhlapo said.

Although [there is] no doubt [that] determined lawyers can put together an argument that at some point in history the civil marriage predominated where there were other customary marriages existing. But in view of the amending provisions of the 1988 Act, and the clear attempts of the Recognition of Customary Marriages Act of 1998 to ensure that a polygamist never again mixes civil and customary marriages in his households, anything can happen in court. I am reluctant to speculate.

Dlamini is claiming 50% of the kings estate, including the Ingonyama Trust, of which he was the sole trustee, stating in her affidavit that the estate was controlled by the two of them jointly.

While they may have netered into a civil marriage as they were married according to the Marriage Act of 1961, it is not yet conclusive unless there are more facts, Nhlapo said.

As claimed by media reports that the kings marriage certificate with Dlamini was issued in terms of Section 22(6) of the Black Administration Act of 1927, their marriage was out of community of property, due to discriminatory apartheid laws, he said.

If this is the case, the consequences of that marriage, though civil, would be that the matrimonial property regime was out of community of property. That was one of the discriminatory effects of apartheid laws black people could marry Western-style but they did not thereby secure for themselves the automatic consequences of civil marriage which accrued to whites and other race groups, which consequences were in community of property, he said.

It was the Marriage and Matrimonial Property Amendment Act of 1988 which provided that black civil marriages entered into after the act would automatically be in community of property, unless the parties insisted otherwise. But this was not retroactive, said Nhlapo.

Marriages of black people before 1988 remained out of community of property.

This was only resolved this year when the Constitutional Court ruled Section 22(6) of the Black Administration Act unconstitutional and therefore invalid. When you put all these factors together, Dalimini may now be in a position to claim that she was married in community of property. Unfortunately, this does not totally dispose of the matter.

Nations and polities had their own principles, which often adopt identities from the male line.

In many polities, the first son of the legally wedded wife would customarily succeed, said University of Free State cultural expert Professor Pearl Sithole.

But when a king calls on the polity and nation to pay lobola for a particular wife, regardless of the order of marriage, she will become the chief wife.

ALSO READ:Speculation of King Zwelithinis successor can create conflict Buthelezi

In other polities, regardless of the king having married, as soon as he marries someone from royalty, that person is going to be the chief wife. It might be the case here, Sithole said.

If you read the things that are being said and the fact that the regent became this particular wife [the late queen regent Mantfombi Shiyiwe Dlamini Zulu], it could be that she was the chief wife and therefore the first son of that particular wife becomes heir apparent, she said.

While customary law allows polygamy, succession to the kingship is falls under customary law as administered and applied by the relevant royal family, said Nhlapo.

Where statute has intervened, it has been only to regulate how the name of the successor identified by the royal family is transmitted to the Premier or the President, as the case may be. In making its decision, the royal family would be guided by the customary law of the particular nation concerned, especially the known customary rules governing how the seniority of wives in a polygamous household is determined.

In light of these typically South African legal ambiguities and complexities, it would be a brave person indeed who can dare to be dogmatic about what the courts will decide, Nhlapo said.

rorisangk@citizen.co.za

Read the original here:

Queen Dlamini unlikely to succeed in legal bid against king's other marriages - The Citizen

A new chapter in the Reproductive Revolution! A polyamorous throuple in British Columbia has succeeded in a legal battle to have all of their names recorded on their babys birth certificate.

Bill, Eliza and Olivia have lived as a triad since 2017. The baby, Clarke, was conceived through sexual intercourse between Bill and Eliza. But Olivia induced lactation so that she could care for Clarke; she was even the first to feed him after his birth. Since then, the three partners and their child have lived an active family life.

In her judgement, Justice Sandra Wilkinson said that there was a gap in BCs Family Law Act for these three loving, caring, and extremely capable individuals and their son. And, as a matter of fact, the law does appear to be inconsistent. Children conceived through sexual intercourse may only have one or two parents on the birth certificate; children conceived through assisted reproduction can have one or more parents.

The evidence indicates that the legislature did not foresee the possibility a child might be conceived through sexual intercourse and have more than two parents, says Justice Wilkinson. Put bluntly, the legislature did not contemplate polyamorous families.

Yes, that rings true. In fact, not at any time in the last 2000 or 3000 years has the Western legal system contemplated polyamorous families.

However, Jason Proctor, of CBC News, commented that this is just the latest ruling in Canadian courts to permit various configurations of three legal parents. Three millennia of tradition are going out the window.

Olivias lawyer, Catherine Wong, was elated by the ruling. Its a sign were seeing that the law is actually catching up to the reality of polyamorous families or multi-parent families in British Columbia, Wong said. In that sense, its a very important case because it recognizes the diversity of families in BC and that the law was not working for all families until now.

For years in British Columbia, that diversity has included polygamy. The small and aptly-named town of Bountiful is home to two polygamist Mormon fundamentalist groups, although polygamy is technically illegal. A couple of the patriarchs have been found guilty of this crime, but the BC government has generally declined to interfere with polygamous families.

Although legal parentage was the issue in the polyamorous relationship of Bill, Eliza and Olivia, is it possible that polyamory and polygamy will eventually receive legal recognition? Polyamory (though it often features in New York Times lifestyle features) seems libidinous and polygamy seems patriarchal. Neither has the strength of the lobby group which supported same-sex marriage.

But polyamory does seem to be becoming A Thing. A long article in The New Yorker last month featured a number of multiple-partner relationships and legal experts across the border in the United States: How Polyamorists and Polygamists Are Challenging Family Norms. Its sub-title was From opposite sides of the culture, parallel campaigns for legal recognition may soon make multiple-partner marriages as unremarkable as same-sex marriages.

In a way, this is old news. The Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court, John Roberts, warned in his dissent in Obergefell v Hodges in 2015 that polyamory was a logical consequence of the legalisation of same-sex marriage:

If there is dignity in the bond between two men or two women who seek to marry and in their autonomy to make such profound choices, [he is quoting the majority judgement] why would there be any less dignity in the bond between three people who, in exercising their autonomy, seek to make the profound choice to marry? If a same-sex couple has the constitutional right to marry because their children would otherwise suffer the stigma of knowing their families are somehow lesser, ante, why wouldnt the same reasoning apply to a family of three or more persons raising children?

Such thoughts are not confined to the white, male, Christian, heteronormative mind of Justice Roberts.

Joseph J. Fischel, an associate professor of womens, gender, and sexuality studies at Yale University, said in a highly praised 2016 book: We, as an LGBT movement, should be ethically committed to endorsing poly relations and other experiments in intimacy. As one of the people interviewed in the article put it: When you light a candle with another candle, your first candle is not less on fire.

Some theorists believe that polyamory is an orientation, not a choice. But as The New Yorkers journalist comments: even if, for the sake of argument, we say that being poly is a choice, is that a reason to say that it warrants no protections? Surely, when we defend the rights of Jews or Muslims, we dont imply that they cant help being that way; rather, we confer dignity on a chosen way of life.

Canada regularly pops up on internet listicles of the worlds most boring countries. But if the plural of spouse is spice, that is a canard which British Columbia has definitively refuted.

Perhaps BCs experience is a useful red flag for other countries. Justice Wilkinsons decision makes it clear that the reasoning which has led countries in the Western world to legalise same-sex marriage will eventually lead to pressure to equate other romantic configurations to traditional marriage. Will this lead to huge numbers of polygamous or polyamorous unions? Probably not. What it will do is convince young couples that traditional man-woman-kids-til-death-do-us-part kind of marriage is a pointless joke.

See original here:

Polyamory? What do they put in the water in British Columbia? MercatorNet - MercatorNet

According to the platform, the initiative is to also help popularise the works of African authors across the continent. The personalities would read extracts from The Secret Lives of Baba Segis Wives, a novel by African-born Nigerian poet, Lola Shoneyin. The book is an entertaining and enlightening portrayal of polygamy in modern-day Nigeria. It reveals the struggles, rivalries, intricate family politics, and interplay of personalities within the complex private world of a polygamous union.

The novel emerged as the top choice by Africans in a Google Africa survey conducted last July, which asked social media followers on a novel by an African author they would like to be read live on YouTube.

About 40 people across Africa have since been selected to kick-start the challenge, among whom are media entrepreneur and talk show host, Agatha Amatha, motivational speaker, Olujimi Tewe; philanthropist and writer, Betty Irabor; performance coach and strategist Steve Harris as well as career and business coach, Muyiwa Afolabi, all from Nigeria.

From Kenya are writers and storytellers, Muthoni Garland and James Murua; creative writers, Anne Moraa and Aleya Kassam; actor and journalist, John Sibi-Okumu; poet and actress, Laura Ekumbo; actor and writer, Mugambi Nthiga.From South Africa are TV presenter and philanthropist, Maps Mapoyane; media personality, Penny Lebyane; actress and model, Pearl Thusi; storyteller and sociologist, Uphile Chisala; and marketer, Khaya Dlanga.

Speaking on the initiative, Googles Managing Director for Africa, Nitin Gajria, expressed hope that the move would enhance reading culture in the continent.

She added: Bookworms can join the challenge by sharing a 10-second video on their social channels, reading same book and nominating their friends to do same.

Free access to read The Secret Lives of Baba Segis Wives are available for one month via the OneRead App. This offer is aimed specifically at those eager to join the challenge, but who do not have access to a physical copy of the book, she added.

Read the rest here:

YouTube launches marathon to drive reading culture among Africans - Guardian

USA TODAY TV Editor Gary Levin explains this year's Save Our Shows poll. Plus, Nicholas Pinnock explains why ABC's "For Life" should get your vote. USA TODAY

On this week's episode of "Red Table Talk," Willow Smith daughter of Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith opened up about being polyamorous.

"It's about being able to have the freedom tocreate a relationship for yourself," she said on the show, to the confusion of her grandmotherAdrienne Banfield-Norris.

"With polyamory, I think the main foundation is the freedom to be able to create a relationship style that works for you and not just stepping into monogamy because that's what everyone around you says is the right thing to do, " Willow Smith said. "I was like, how can I structure the way that I approach relationships with that in mind?"

With the help of a diverse group of polyamorous guests, "Red Table Talk" brokedown myths and stigma associated with non-monogamy. We talked to experts to further drill down what it's all about.

"If (people) believe it can only end in unhappiness, well, many unhappy polyamorous people end up in my office, it's true," said Sheila Addison, a family and marriage therapist,"as do many unhappy monogamous people."

In case you missed: Willow Smith has a very open talk with her mom and grandma about polyamory, 'throuples'

Jada Pinkett Smith (left) and daughter Willow Smith (right) discuss polyamory on this week's "Red Table Talk" with guest Gabrielle Smith (center).(Photo: Red Table Talk / Facebook)

Polyamory means "multiple loves" a word coined in the late 20th century, with Greek and Latin roots.

"It usually describes a particular approach to (consensual non-monogamy) that prioritizes ongoing emotional and sexual connections with multiple partners," Addison said. It's not to be confused with polygamy, aka "multiple wives" something typically associated with religious or cultural practices, she said.

In the U.S. it dates back at least to the "Free Love" and transcendentalist movements in the 19th century, though it grew popular with the counterculture and sexual liberation movements of 1960s and early 1970s, according to Adrienne Davis, vice provost offaculty affairs and diversity at Washington University in St. Louis.

"I believe one could say that it is in a third wave today, with many people practicing it, especially on the West Coast and Pacific Northwest," Davis said. According to a 2016 studythat sampled U.S. Census data from single adults, 20%ofparticipants reported engaging in consensual non-monogamy at some point in their lifetime.

There are many different terms associated with polyamory, including:

An example of kitchen-table polyamory is seen in action on "Red Table Talk."Gabrielle Smith, an ethical non-monogamy educator who practices solo polyamory, appears on the episode with her boyfriendAlex Vicenzi. He is married and also has other romantic partners; Smith is friendly with his wife, and they all spent time together during the holiday season.

And another: Jada Pinkett Smith, Willow Smith talk 'swooning' over women in candid 'Red Table Talk' clip

The idea of life-long or serial monogamy is embedded in most cultures. Historically, "women are more stigmatized for having multiple sexual partners at the same time, or across their lifespan,than men are," said Addison.

Monogamy has also been favored for biological reasons, according toGabrielle Usatynski, a psychotherapist in Colorado.

"Manypolyamoryadvocates propagate the myth that monogamy is a 'mere blip'on the screen of human history which arose recently as a result of industrial capitalism and isolated suburban living," Usatynskisaid. "But the truth is that humans have been pair-bonding for hundreds of thousands of years in order to ensure survival."

Definitely keep an eye out: Sundance: The 6 best movies for representation you haven't heard about yet

"It still sounds to me like the major motivation is sexual,"Banfield-Norris said during the episode, still trying to learn.

Smith said that's not the case.

"Let's say you're not the kind of person who has wanted to have sex all the time, but your partner is. Are you going to be the person to say just because I don't have these needs you can't have them either?" she said. "I was introduced to it through a non-sexual lens. In my friend group, I am the only polyamorous person and I have the least sex."

Some people are in for sexbut others are for emotional intimacy or a combination of the two, Davis said.

Addison added: "Some people who are asexual and/or aromantic may identify as polyamorous as well, but their descriptions and boundaries around their relationships are going to be personal and self-defined in those cases."

"I did things that I said I would never do when I was in my fits of jealousy," Smith said of her pre-polyamorous life. "That made me realize just how much I need to step back and work on myself."

Experts agree the one thing that is needed above all else in polyamorous relationships is trust.

"Trust is paramount," Davis said. "That rests on setting the norms ...and then strong and transparent communication about needs, which may evolve. Talking through jealousy, rather than trying to suppress it, is key."

Addison said jealousy should not be viewed as an obstacle.

"Stop thinking of jealousy as something to 'combat,' she said. "It's an emotion. Thoughts may not always make sense, but emotions always do. Emotion is the smoke that says there's a fire somewhere."

Usatynski added: "Telling someone to combat jealousy is a bit like telling them to step out the window and 'combat'the force of gravity."

Effy Blue, a relationship coach,suggested ways to combat jealousy during the "Red Table Talk" episode:

Davis saidpolyamory can be sustainable and has inherit benefits for some people.

"Many people are not emotionally or physically satisfied by one person for their entire lives," she said. "I cannot think of any non-religious reason why people should be satisfied only one person."

That's OK! Just because someone else does it doesn't mean you have to.

Usatynski is a skeptic and thinks most people aren't well-suited for the practice.

"I believe that polyamorists have a lot of ideas about what they think they should be able to do in relationships and what they think of as an 'enlightened'relationships, but that these ideas fly in the face of basic evolutionary and neurobiological science," she said.

She adds that most people would feel threatened if their long-term partner wanted to be emotionally or sexually intimate with someone else, and that when push comes to shove polyamorous relationships are difficult to maintain especially when kids and the regular chaos of life are involved.

"Quite frankly, it all falls apart under the stress, demands and responsibilities of modern life," she added.

Don't scoff at the idea of it completely, though.

"Many purported monogamists would be better served by openly embracingpolyamory," Davis argued."When we look at the numbers of so-called monogamists who seek additional relationships, it may be the case that monogamy is not the majority orientation we believe it is."

Jada Pinkett Smithjust wants her daughter to love herself.

"As long as you are learning to have the greatest love affair with Willow, I'm OK with whatever you do," she said on "Red Table Talk."

Banfield-Norris echoed a similar sentiment: "As I'm sitting here I'm recognizing it's not really all that important for me to understand ... it's important that I be able to listen without judgment and let you do your thing."

Autoplay

Show Thumbnails

Show Captions

Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/health-wellness/2021/04/28/polyamory-what-to-know-non-monogamous-relationships/7389278002/

See the original post here:

Willow Smith details her lifestyle on 'Red Table Talk': What you should know about polyamory - USA TODAY

Seeking Sister Wife fans called out Garrick for using his religion as an excuse to be with multiple women. Pic credit: TLC

Seeking Sister Wife star Garrick Merrifield hasnt exactly come across as a fan favorite on the show, and they called him out recently for using his religion as an excuse to have multiple wives.

Garrick and his first wife, Dannielle, were married for nearly 13 years before they divorced to allow their future sister wife, Roberta, to legally enter the United States on a K-1 visa. Roberta lives in Brazil and only speaks Portuguese.

Garrick claimed he was called to polygamy by God, and eventually convinced Dannielle to agree to welcome sister wives into their family.

Sign up for our newsletter!

During their divorce proceedings in court, Dannielle became emotional as she told a judge that their marriage was irretrievably broken. Garrick and Dannielle have met Roberta in Cabo, a halfway point between the United States and her home country of Brazil, to spend more time with her in person while they await her visa to be approved.

Q&A time just before the Teen Mom 2 Season 11 Premiere tonight! In case you missed Kails answers to these questions and more from her Instagram Q&A, we have them for you at our #linkinbio! Are you watching tonight?(: @kaillowry/Instagram)------------#teenmom2 #premiere #teenmom2season11 #qanda #teasers #teenmomfan #teenmomlife #teenmomshaderoom #kaillowry #kailynlowry #teenmom2fan #teenmomtea #JenelleEvans #ChelseaHouska #MTV #MTVTeenMom #kaillowry #ashleyjones #chelseadeboer #leahmesser #brianadejesus #jadecline #ashleyjones #youngandpregnant #instagramstories #realitytvmoms ...

In a new sneak peek for next weeks upcoming episode, TLC shared a clip of Garrick struggling with leaving Roberta and returning to the United States with Dannielle.

As he wiped away tears from his face, Garrick told cameras, Leaving Roberta will be very hard for me because I love her. While stroking Robertas hair, he looked at his first wife, Dannielle, and told her, I miss Bert.

Several fans think that Garrick is using his religion as an excuse, though, and is manipulating his first wife into accepting a second woman into their relationship.

One fan thought that Garrick is using Gods name in vain, writing, Hes a Christian but screwing his fiance before the marriage. Its all b***s**t using Gods name in vain

Another Seeking Sister Wife fan shared a similar sentiment when they commented, Oh yeah, this has nothing to do with religion. Its an excuse for him. Im not buying it.

Another fan thought that Garrick used religion as a way to convince Dannielle to allow Garrick to marry Roberta.

They wrote, What a creep!! He convinced his wife to accept his cheating by saying its Gods will! His wife is stupid too!!! He just wanted a younger model! Its pretty evident he no longer loves Danielle!! She was stupid to give up all her legal rights!! He is disgusting!!!

The Merrifields join their fellow polygamous castmates the Snowdens, who faced some legal trouble earlier this week, as well as the Clarks, and the Winders, who are the shows only Mormon polygamists.

Fans of the show can tune in next week to catch up on some more entertaining reality tv, polygamy-style.

Seeking Sister Wife airs on Mondays at 8/7c on TLC.

Originally posted here:

Seeking Sister Wife fans call out Garrick Merrifield for using religion as an excuse to have multiple wives - Monsters and Critics

Born into a life of service. Thats how Princess Sikhanyiso Dlamini, the firstborn of Eswatinis new generation of royals, describes her life.

The princess, the eldest of King Mswati IIIs 36 children, also serves as the countrys minister of information and communication technology.

Her father, who has been on the throne since his 18th birthday, is the last absolute monarch on the African continent. This makes him not only her father and king, but also her employer. Despite describing her relationship with her father as quite formal from a young age, Princess Sikhaniysos admiration for him is quite clear.

I would refer to him as the wisest person I know, as an inventory of information, she told ABC News. He has avid experience in leadership and exposure to different cultures and world fora where he has been representing Africa. Hes become a reference point even for world leaders.

Although she has been very vocal in her criticism of her fathers polygamy in the past, her views on the matter have mellowed with time.

My understanding of men now is different from what I thought before, she said. When you dont know that other people exist then you cant take precautions Ive learned a lot since I was younger, since Ive grown older and my opinions have been altered.

According to an aide, King Mswati III, who has been married 15 times, currently has 10 wives. He rules by decree and has faced scathing criticism from rights groups, trade unions and the media, especially for his lavish lifestyle. Theres also increasing demand for political reform. His daughter downplays the detractions.

So much has been said about the king. So much has been said about Eswatini, she noted. The propaganda out there, the narrative out there is contrary to the situation on the ground. In every home you have your children who are obedient, your children who are disobedient, you have those that are disruptive and who want to make noise and create a story that is not actually there Im not really sure what those people are referring to. But for how [the people] view the king, they view him as a father figure, as a spiritual figure. They see the king as somebody reachable, loving and caring.

Succession is not something that is openly discussed in Eswatini. According to the princess: In other monarchies, that conversation is normal and specific. In Eswatini, that conversation is sacred. The succession process in Eswatini is both hereditary and elective. The House of Dlamini dynasty goes as far back as 400 years ago and it is an undisturbed line, so it will be somebody who is born from the House of Dlamini. A male.

Her Royal Highness Princess Sikhanyiso Dlamini, the eldest daughter of the king of Eswatini, sits under a tree during an interview in Luve, Eswatini, Aug. 28, 2015.

A little known fact about the small landlocked kingdom is that King Mswati jointly rules with his mother, Queen Ntfombi. By tradition, the king reigns with his mother or a ritual substitute, the Ndlovukati (literal meaning She-Elephant). The former was viewed as the administrative head of state and the latter as a spiritual and national head of state, with real power counterbalancing that of the king. But during the long reign of Sobhuza II, the role of the Ndlovukati became more symbolic.

Educated at St Edmunds College in the U.K. and the University of Sydney, Princess Sikhanyiso puts her masters degree in digital communication to good use in her role as minister of information and communication technology. She also studied drama at Biola University in California. It is, however, her role as mother that she enjoys most at the moment. Baby Phikolwezwe Phiko Kukhanya Phasika Elihu Dlamini turned 1 on April 10. He is the kings seventh grandchild.

Sikhanyiso said motherhood is the best experience yet. I have a new earned respect for women, the sacrifices that we make for our children you have to juggle everything at the same time."

She went on, "I also appreciate the role of men in childrearing we should all play our part. I have a renewed impetus, even in the workplace, to say I want to make Eswatini a better Eswatini for my son and the generations to come -- for him to grow up in a different Eswatini that is more advanced, economically and holistically.

As if the roles of royal, minister and mother isnt enough, Princess Sikhanyiso is also an aspiring actress and rapper known as "Pashu" in Eswatini. During her brief stay in Malaysia for an internship program, she recorded a single titled "Hail Your Majesty" in honor of her father.

She said, I suppose most royals have the artistic side to them. We have those that play musical instruments, some do sport, some join the army. People would tell me I have a mellifluous voice and so I thought to branch into rapping and I thought it was a way to express myself because, you know, when you grow up in the palace it is an isolated life really .... so I needed to find an outlet somewhere and I didnt have a diary so my diary was my pen and the studio.

For now, though, she only raps in the shower.

To be honest if I wasnt so preoccupied with all the formal work, I would love to pursue a rap career," she admitted. "I actually wanted to when I was in the States but our roles and responsibilities had us confined to just simply academia. But I would love to Timberland can you hear me?

View post:

Princess Sikhanyiso Dlamini of Eswatini is looking to the future while embracing her roots - ABC News

YouTube has launched its first YouTube Africa Reading Challenge, an online reading marathon featuring authors, influencers and key opinion leaders across Africa.

In a bid to help popularise the work of African authors across the continent, the personalities will read extracts from The Secret Lives of Baba Segis Wives, a novel by the Nigerian poet Lola Shoneyin.

The book is an entertaining, perceptive and enlightening portrayal of polygamy in modern-day Nigeria. It reveals the struggles, rivalries, intricate family politics, and the interplay of personalities and relationships within the complex private world of a polygamous union.

The novel emerged as the top choice by Africans in a Google Africa survey conducted last July, which asked social media followers which novel by an African author they would like to see read live on YouTube.

A total 40 people across Africa have since been selected to kick off the YouTube Africa Challenge, and will be reading from its pages, encouraging others to join them too.

Among the notable names joining the reading challenge are:

Read more from the original source:

Reading marathon to drive African readers to African authors - TimesLIVE

D. Michael Quinn was once among Mormonisms most celebrated historians, lauded for his memory, work ethic and charisma even prompting predictions that he would become the official historian for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or one of the faiths governing apostles.

Quinn, who was discovered dead Wednesday of unspecified causes at his home in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., saw no conflict between the churchs history and his faith.

Still, his compulsion to understand every detail of the Latter-day Saint past, starting in his teen years in the 1960s, put him on a collision course with his church. It would culminate in September 1993, when the Yale-trained scholar was drummed out of Utah-based church for apostasy based on his historical writings about women and the priesthood, along with polygamy.

That same month, four other writers and feminists were excommunicated and one was disfellowshipped, a less-severe punishment. Together, they became known as the September Six.

The 77-year-old Quinn became the first of them to die and arguably the most tragic. He published critical contradictions in church history, but the historian was no critic.

This article is published through the Utah News Collaborative, a partnership of news organizations in Utah that aim to inform readers across the state. To read the full story click here.

Link:

Historian D. Michael Quinn, who was booted from the church as part of the 'September Six' but remained a believer, dies at 77 - Blue Mountain Eagle