Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Big Love

On the recommendation of Hippy Chick, I added this HBO series to my Netflix queue and this week, I got the first two disks. I've completed watching the first 5 episodes. It's kind of compelling.

For those of you not familiar with the show, it is about a family of polygamists living in Salt Lake City. The main character, Bill, has 3 wives living in three houses right next to one another. They, and their 7 children, try to function as one family unit.

The different characters are so fascinating, but the pieces that I find the most compelling are the threads of Mormon ideology that run through the show. I have little or no understanding of this religion, so it is a fascinating introduction. I also am appreciating the theme that they are exploring about polygamy.

The family is sort of a normal disfunctional family which just happens to include 3 wives (Barb, Nikki, & Margie). However, the extended family shows the darker side of polygamy...young girls being married to older men. Younger men in the community being treated as adversaries and not treated well. It's ookie.

It may not shock you all to know that I don't have strong feelings against polygamy. I do have strong feelings about 14 year olds marrying, but that's a separate issue for me. But even adult and consensual relationships which are loving are stigmatized by the government and by the general population in such a way that this family lives in isolation and fear of discovery.

It's a theme that strikes a nerve with me. I love the relationship that I'm in and it comes with another person, SS, who is also dear to me. We often walk together holding hands or snuggling with one another, and it is not rare that we get stares or comments for doing so. Once or twice, I've wondered if we would get outright harrassment.

I know that it's my relationship and that I shouldn't care what other people think, but I do and I just wish that they would think the way that I did. The whole world would be a nicer place to live in.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...
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Cody Bones said...

Uh Spins, who's your friend?

HistoryGeek said...

Damn! I can make a diagnosis based on that comment alone (the one that I will be deleting so as not to cause others' scrolling to cause a cramp because it was the longest schizophrenic ramble I've ever seen). If you don't believe me here is one or two choice clues:

"Oshkosh is the ejaculate clue." WTF!

and

"Differentiate between your thoughts and when they are thinking through you."

And here I was worried for a moment that no one would comment...

Aravis said...

That show takes a lot of heat from the Mormon community, which has not believed in polygamy in something like a century. Those who practice it aren't considered members of the church.

That being said, if one wants to have a polygamous relationship- outside of someone's church doctrines, I mean- and it makes one happy, then by all means. I've been so glad for you since you've found S and SS; no judgment from me! :0)

P'tit-Loup said...

Sorry you had an intruder that made no sense. Sorry to hear as well about the stares. I hope harassment never follows. I will check out the serie, it sounds interesting. I'm always looking for something different to watch. Mainstream media does not do much for my taste!