What is Polyamory?
What is Polyamoury?
By Leaf McGowan
Polyamory means the ability of “loving more than one person” at the same time. This love can either be sexual, emotional, spiritual, or any combination thereof depending on the agreements of all involved. Polyamory does mean something different to all those involved. But usually its based on honesty, communication, and respect openly. The term is also used as a descriptive term for those who are open to more than one relationship at the same time, even if they are only currently involved in one. The key phrase with true polyamory is “openness” - that each partner involved is fully aware of all other partners involved and kept informed, are respected, and considered.
Polyamory has several different diagrams and relationship structures. The more common ones are:
- Primaries. The person with whom one is most strongly bonded or committed. This is sometimes a married partner, though in cultures where multiple marriages are not legal (such as the U.S. and Canada). Sometimes it refers to the partner with the most seniority or input.
- Secondaries. Usually the person to whom one is also involved with, but doesn’t have the equal bonding as a primary does. One with whom the person is involved with without the emotional, legal, or economic complexities and committments as primary bonding.
- Tertiaries. Usually referred to as a “circle of equals” by those who don’t like the labels of primary or secondary.
- Triads. A relationship structure involving three people. Sometimes these actually involve a committed relationship bonding the three. All are involved with one another in some way -either as friends or lovers in some sort.
- Vees. A relationship of three people with one of the people at the bottom or acting as a hinge between the three. One person involved with the other two, but the other two most likely not involved with one another.
- Triangles. Relationship where all three partners are involved with each other, usually equally. Also another term for triads.
- Line Marriage. A term from Heinlein’s work - “Stranger in a Strange Land”. It means a marriage that from time to time will add younger members to eventually create an equilibrium population (spouses die off, new ones added to replace the loss)
- Polyfidelity. Relationships involving more than one person that have a committment or agreement to keep sexual activity within the group and not allowing outside partners.
- Quads. Four partners inter-relationship. Similar to Triads.
- Pentacles. Five partners in a relationship together.
- Sextets. Six partners in a relationship together.
For more information:
www.polyamory.org
Poly faq’s
http://www.polyamory.com/
Lovingmore.com
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