Sister Wives Meri Brown has always been empathized with, but after years of feeling sorry for herself, even the viewers have lost the will to sympathize with Kody Brown's first wife. Meri said "I do" to Kody in 1990, but it wasn't long until she had to share her home, and her man, with other women. Meri may be valid in her feelings, but she never learned to make the changes that were needed to have a better life.
Even though Meri Brown of Sister Wives was the first wife to Kody, she was never treated with the respect she deserved. Kody quickly introduced three more wives to the mix, often leaving Meri to feel isolated. Over the years, Meri tried to have more children but was unsuccessful. The loneliness took over, and Kody pulled away. As each anniversary ticked away, Meri continued to stay in her toxic relationship until Kody finally revealed during Sister Wives season 16 that he was no longer attracted to Meri and wanted her to move on. Even that moment of rejection didn't help bring Meri the sympathy she wanted.
5 Meri Brown's Upbringing Brainwashed Her
It is no secret that Meri grew up within a polygamous family as William James Barber Jr. and Bonnie Barber raised her. Meri's father had five wives and multiple children, so the mother of one was very intertwined with the polygamous Mormon world before she even met Kody. After she was set up with Kody by her sister, Meri seemed to become a sheep who followed the patriarch wherever he went instead of having her own mind.
The cult-like attitude was hard to miss with Meri as it often felt like her upbringing may have brainwashed her. Meri's mother, Bonnie, who often appeared on Sister Wives, was very young when she tied the knot. Due to her young age, Bonnie also had the polygamous lifestyle ingrained into her, which she inherently passed down to her daughter. The women are often taught that their husband is the man of the house and they are to be subservient. Meri relinquished all power to Kody and became his puppet.
4 Meri Brown Was Two-Faced To Christine Brown
Without a doubt, Meri has come across as two-faced when interacting with some of her family members. Over the seasons, Meri has often kept to herself, which has included mulling around her large home for one and traveling alone. She never seemed to bond with Christine, Janelle, or Robyn Brown, except for a brief moment when Robyn first entered the polygamous family. One moment that showed Meri acting two-faced was when Christine Brown lost her cool while talking to Kody during Sister Wives season 16.
The family had been discussing plots on Coyote Pass, but Christine still wanted to move back to Utah. The entire "I can't do marriage to Kody" scene felt like the others were being gaslit, mainly because she had spoken with Kody beforehand. As Christine cried, Meri consoled her, but the action raised some eyebrows. It was never a secret that Meri and Christine had butted heads in the past, so it didn't feel genuine on Meri's part.
3 Meri Brown's Cryptic Posts
A few months before Meri and Kody announced that they would be terminating their relationship, the Sister Wives star started to post some cryptic material online. One post showed her traveling solo, another holding a book, but none explained what was happening in her life. The posts often left her followers feeling tricked by Meri and didn't understand what she was trying to convey.
The clickbait posts led fans to take to Reddit so they could unleash on Meri. U/airdnaxelamac started a thread on Reddit, sharing that the message felt like an "attack" on Christine. Other fans pointed out that Meri's posts were another way for the "adult" family to make money. However, some of her posts could be about her MLM or pyramid scheme jobs she has been trying her best to advertise. Whatever the case, Reddit fans disliked the fact that they never got the full story from Meri when it came to the truth.
2 Meri Brown's Infamous Catfish Scandal
Even though Kody didn't act like a real husband in any of his marriages, it didn't feel right to see him being cheated on when Meri was catfished in 2015. At the time, Meri started to be ignored by her husband and pushed farther outside the polygamous family. So in retaliation, Meri decided to have an emotional affair with a stranger she had met online. While Meri believed "Sam" to be a man, it turned out she was speaking and flirting with a woman.
Along with sensual photos, there were also over 200 voicemails that caught Meri telling her lover that she was "waiting for him." The duo opened up about their hopes for the future throughout their intimate chats. Meri was often heard bashing Kody and their marriage while secretly planning her exit from the polygamous family. Sadly, Meri's love affair turned sour when she discovered Sam was not who he said he was. Kody and Meri's relationship couldn't be repaired after this incident.
1 Meri Brown's Abuse Allegations
Recently, news broke via Paedon and Mykelti Brown that Meri was not the kindest to them while growing up. Mykelti backed up her brother's claims that Meri was emotionally and verbally abusive to Mykelti, admitting that Meri was the meanest to her. While Mykelti didn't explain the reason as to why Meri lashed out, it could have been that she couldn't have any more of her own children and resented the idea of having to watch Kody's other offspring.
Since Christine's children essentially called Meri a monster, the Sister Wives star has yet to respond to the allegations. However, this has given more insight into who Meri really is, and it makes sense why a lot of fans can't stand her. Between possibly being brainwashed from a young age, being two-faced, and hating Kody's other children, it is hard for fans to find love for Meri.
Source: U/airdnaxelamac/Reddit