Another Group Suffering Under the 'Rona: Kuwaiti Polygamists

Source - Abu Othman, like thousands of Kuwaiti men, has struggled to split his time between two wives living in separate homes amid the Gulf state's strict lockdown to combat the coronavirus.

"My life has become so complicated," the 45-year-old, who has 10 children between the two women, told AFP. 

"I am constantly on the move between them," he said, stressing that he could never choose one wife over the other.

The oil-rich country has imposed some of the strictest measures in the Gulf to combat the spread of the virus ... 

Under the curfew, residents are allowed to shop for food only once every six days, after electronically obtaining official permission, and may otherwise leave home for two-hour evening walks. ...

But in response to appeals by scores of polygamists like Abu Othman to ease their restrictions on movement, the Kuwaiti authorities on Sunday introduced electronic permits to men married to more than one woman for one-hour visits twice a week. ...

Abu Othman said he was trying hard to make sure neither of his wives feels neglected, especially amid a crisis that has seen much of the world virtually shut down.

But with all the restrictions in place to curb COVID-19, he said he has struggled to divide his time equally between the two homes. 

"Sometimes police patrols understand my situation, while at other times I have to apply for permission claiming there is a 'family emergency'," said Abu Othman before the new "second wife" permission was introduced.

There's nothing we love to say more than anything else about a global pandemic is that we are all in this ... together. How in an interconnected world, the virus doesn't recognize borders, nationalities or economic situations. The sacrifices aren't just being made by New Yorkers or small business people or those who rely on tips to make ends meet, but by everyone.

You might think a guy like Abu Othman, living in a country with one of the highest per capita GDPs in the world and with two wives would be surfing through this crisis on a white cap of wealth and sex partners. But nope. Even Kuwaiti polygamists are struggling to keep it together in all this. You might be sick to death of being hold up in your apartment watching Netflix and cracking open boxes of wine, but he's juggling the needs of two separate families in a time of restrictions and barely staying ahead of the game. Mo' wives, mo' problems and all that. 

So look on the bright side. Life is not so bad for those of us stuck at home with just one wife or no partner at all. In fact, it makes you feel sort of lucky. At least you don't have to worry about applying for second wife permission or worry about whether No. 1 Wife is going to be pissed your electronic permit didn't get you home and accuse you of liking No. 2 Wife more than her or vice versa. So I'll take a hard pass on that lifestyle and wish this poor, long suffering guy all the best for a speedy end to this. He sounds like he needs it a lot more than I do.