(Left) Gwendlyn Brown's Instagram post from December 17, 2022. (Right) Kody Brown speaking about Sonny and Cher's divorce. (Cover Image Source: Instagram | (L) @gwendlynbrown; (R) @tlc)
Despite her rare appearances on Sister Wives, Gwendlyn Brown has offered an insightful look into the troublesome dynamics of the Brown family. Gwendlyn is also well-known for her harsh criticism of her dad, Kody Brown, and she hasn't held back when discussing her difficult upbringing. Last year, while sharing her opinions on Sister Wives episodes through her YouTube channel, she hosted a Q&A with her subscribers. During the session, she made a shocking revelation, sharing that Kody had screamed at her over the years and confirmed that she had been physically abused by him.
Individuals who are close to the family backed up Gwendlyn's claims. She revealed on her Patreon account that Kody had severely spanked her and her siblings as punishment at times when they were kids. As reported by Screenrant, Gwendlyn said, "I remember being bruised a few times when my dad would spank me. Or he has admitted to throwing me in the air to scare me into not doing something. So, yes, he has been physically abusive." She acknowledged that some people may not view spanking as abuse, but she believes it's an extreme and harmful form of discipline. In her opinion, several other safer options for parenting don't leave lasting emotional scar.
The YouTuber also highlighted an instance from the 17th season of the TLC show while talking about Kody's alleged verbal abuse. Kody angrily screamed at Gwendlyn's mother in the video, saying she failed to understand the sacrifices he made to love her. She disclosed that her father frequently exhibits such outbursts. This wasn't the first time she opened up about her strained relationship with him.
Previously, she criticized Kody on social media for putting Robyn Brown and her kids above the rest of the family. Many people who are close to the Brown family shared this opinion, as reported by The Hollywood Gossip. Besides that, Kody has allegedly tried to keep his kids silent to preserve his reputation. He presented himself to viewers as kind and loving for years, but many started to see through the facade. Conflict within the family has long been intensified by his tense ties with Janelle Brown and Christine Brown, especially when it comes to parenting disputes. Gwendlyn has also accused him of not having genuine connections with many of his children, and of being manipulative and controlling.
As reported by OK! Magazine, the YouTuber once admitted that she believes Kody genuinely thinks he's not to blame for any of the family's issues. In contrast to her complaints, Gwendlyn later suggested that her father might have gained some insight since the cameras stopped rolling after Season 17. She said, "He's really healing and I'm really proud of him. I think the strain of him having so many wives and forcing himself to believe in something he wasn't really for kind of made him more of an upset, unhappy person. But he's really healing. He's getting a lot better."