An oft cited claim by critics of the church is that there was actually a shortage of women, instead of men, during the Utah days of polygamy. The censuses are cited as an illustration of this.

Considering the fact that not only were there less women, but that men were taking multiple women for themselves, particularly the older men with higher priesthood authority, one would think there'd be a lot of murmuring among the single men. Were there a lot of Mormon men who couldn't find wives to take? I think I've read a few quotes in books like the Tanners' but is there any highly documented study on this issue by any historians? Like maybe in one of the scholarly journals on Mormon history like "Dialogue?"

I was young, maybe 10-11yrs old. I asked my dad about polygamy in such an innocent, casual sense of curiosity. He praised the pioneer men for taking in the widowed and old as plural wives. Specifically due to the harsh, unforgiving trek west. Several more yrs of pandemic female suppresion was essential for what? Nothing..

In the minutes of the meetings of the brethren they will often
lament the fact that so many young men are not getting married.
They wonder what's causing this and what they can do about it.
Not once have I seen where anyone says, "well given our system
of polygamy there MUST be a large number of unmarried men."

They just seemed to think it was all a "morality" problem with
the unmarried men.

This is one of the lies taught to little kids, and one easy to disprove with facts.