Christine Brown’s aunt Kristyn Decker is sharing what she believes led theSister Wivesstar toend her decades-long polyamorous marriagetoKody Brown.
“I could see it coming. I don’t think Christine’s been genuinely — what I call genuinely happy — for forever, since day one,” Decker, who isn’t currently in contact with Christine, said.
“It’s kind of impossible to have a marriage when you’ve got a division like that [with] four women — five, whatever it’s going to be, and a lot of children,” she continued. “That’s not a partnership. It’s not a real marriage. And so I’ve just felt bad for her and others from day one. As well, I was in [a plural marriage]. So I had to support that way back when, but it still breaks my heart. I don’t think any women are genuinely happy in that.”
Decker claimed what fans see on the TLC hit is “not reality,” noting how the “true part and the heartache and the sadness” occurs behind the scenes.
“Thefeelings that Christineandthe other womenare finally starting to show after all this time — and it started a while back,” she said. “I was grateful that some of the truth was coming out in the show about the hardships of polygamy. But for the longest time, they were glamorizing it, and it just wasn’t real.”
Decker explained how women in these situations are “not supposed to communicate their feelings and sadness.” Those who do, she added, are “looked down upon.”
Asked to weigh in on why a relationship like Christine and Kody’s ended, Decker said: “I think that as soon as another wife comes into the family, the whole dynamics change.”
Kody and Christine Brown.Christine Brown/INSTAGRAM. inset: shutterstock
“The marriage is never going to be the same or the relationship. I’m not sure, like I said, you can even call it a marriage. As soon as my husband took a second wife, our marriage was never the same, and it was never going to be. So, I think things start falling apart pretty fast,” she continued. “And it just takes time and over the years for women [like] Christine to get stronger and find out this isn’t what she wants and she doesn’t have to do it. And, ‘I’m going to get out of here.’ "
Kody was already in plural marriage with first wifeMeri Brownand second wifeJanelle Brownwhen Christine joined in 1994. The exes share son Paedon, 23, and daughters Aspyn, 26,Mykelti, 25, Gwendlyn, 20, Ysabel, 18, and Truely, 11.
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Christine announcedon InstagramTuesday she is leaving Kody. “After more than 25 years together, Kody and I have grown apart and I have made the difficult decision to leave,” she said in a statement.
“We will continue to be a strong presence in each other’s lives as we parent our beautiful children and support our wonderful family,” she continued. “At this time, we ask for your grace and kindness as we navigate through this stage within our family.”
Kody alsoissued a statementin support of Christine’s choice.
“Christine’s decision to leave comes with a great deal of sadness,” he shared on Instagram. “We enjoyed many years together and I have a large amount of respect and admiration for her. Although we are moving forward on different paths, we will always remain committed parents.”
Season 16 ofSister Wivespremieres Sunday, Nov. 21 (10 p.m. ET), on TLC.
source: people.com
