Sororal Polygyny

As with non-sororal polygyny, sororal polygyny is attractive to men who wish to satisfy a need for numerous sex partners, especially in societies where women are abstinent after having babies. Sororal polygyny is a more socially acceptable or moral way of satisfying this desire than having extra-marital affairs or soliciting sex workers. Sororal polygyny may be more common in cultures where the head of a large household is regarded with prestige.

Sororal polygyny is often thought to be a better polygamous marriage arrangement than non-sororal polygyny, or a marriage in which women who aren’t sisters share a husband, as sisters are believed to be more supportive of one another, less jealous, and less argumentative than non-siblings. These theories are supported by statistics suggesting that 86 percent of sororal co-wives live close to one another, compared to just 49 percent of non-sororal co-wives.

In the practice of sororal polygyny, it is most commonly the eldest sister who marries her husband first. She is joined in the marriage by her sisters as they become adults.