The term “polyamory,” to some, is a confusing word describing a lifestyle found to be even more baffling. However, polyamorous relationships are growing in popularity and have roots dating back hundreds of years. Polyamory is described as the “assumption that it is possible, valid, and worthwhile to maintain intimate sexual and/or loving relationships with more than one person simultaneously, without deception or betrayal” (Morrison, Beaulieu, Brockman, & Beaglaoich, 2013). Polyamorous relationships are a subsect of nonmonogamous relationships that place focus on functionality, happiness, exploration, and love for all involved. Polyamory is not to be confused with terms such as polygyny (multiple wives), polyandry (multiple husbands), or polygamy …show more content…
Heinlein, and Robert H. Rimmer’s 1962 novel The Harrad Experiment. With the advent of these similar philosophies came the participants of such lifestyles, and, in effect, the evolution of such ideas. (Sartorious, 2004). This progression lead to the coining of the term “polyamorous”, a hybrid of Greek and Latin to combine the terms for “many” and “love,” to refer to a type of “responsible nonmonogamy” described and advocated in Heinlein’s Stranger in a Strange Land (Barker, 2005). Coined by Morning Glory Zell, a Neopagan community leader, in 1990, many began feeling acceptance and belonging within this particular sect of nonmonogamy, as Zell’s term emphasized such things as honesty, ethics, and transparency (White, …show more content…
According to one author, polyamory is not so much a sexual orientation, as it is a strategic identity used to deal with one’s sexual orientation. A strategic identity is defined as a way to serve a political, social, or interpersonal function and is adopted by a member of an in-group living under the surveillance of a powerful out-group. For example, a bisexual woman cohabitating with a heterosexual man may find herself to be sexually unfulfilled. Though she feels frustrated, she does not want to betray her current partner or hurt his feelings. Eventually, she gives into the unfulfilled side of her sexual orientation, and cheats on her male partner with a female. She tells her current partner about her infidelity and he is devastated. He feels disgraced and manipulated, and the woman feels regret and shame. In order to avoid this issue in the future, this woman will begin entering polyamorous relationships in which she is free to openly explore both sides of her sexual orientation. In this way, as the author states, polyamory becomes the way to adjust to one’s sexual orientation, rather than a change in one’s actual sexual preferences (Robinson,
Everyone wants that special someone with whom they will spend the rest of their life. That someone who will help raise a family and instill great values in their children. But what happens when that person takes more than one spouse? What if they as children with more than one partner? This practice is called polygamy and, by all standards, should be illegal.
As Anthropologist Kimber McKay challenged the world’s outlook on what we believe to be a traditional, normal marriage, I was intrigued by the results of her fieldwork that displayed the different types of marriages occurring around the world. In her research in the Nepalese Himalaya, she lived within the community of polyandrous people participating in their daily life. In Humla, it was common for a polyandrous woman to marry a man and his brothers. McKay shared a video from a polyandrous woman that described the relationship she had with her two husbands. Here are her words: “If the husbands agree with it (polyandry) then it’s good. One can take care of the local work and the other can do outside work.” I hypothesize the reason polyandry
I believe that the author did an effective job in not having any bias towards one side or the other on this subject. The author did not paint the polygamists as positive or negative, which is what a great journalist should do-show no bias or leanings. Overall, I think this article is very credible and gives the best insight that a news outlet could on the topic of polygamy. I do support this article and I plan to use it within my research for my project. I believe this because the article is free of any bias thoughts and gives the clear facts for what I am needing on this
Despite the argument that polygamist lifestyles are easier, polygamy has proven time and time again, to be a terrible lifestyle that has been dolled up to look like something that it is not. Polygamist families are often unable to meet their basic needs, “In spite of our poverty, my husband continued to marry other wives. I almost died from typhoid fever and my first baby died” (Spencer 1). The health and well-being is the last thing on the mind of a husband living in polygamy because he is constantly wanting more for himself. All of the sister wives are so in love with their husband, what they do not know is that he does not really love them, if he did he would
Polygamy is the case in which a man or a woman has multiple spouses. One branch of polygamy is termed “polygyny”, which is when “one man is married to several wives” (Zeitzen 3).
People who enter into polyamorous relationships also report an “At first… but then” experience. At first they believe that there is something wrong with them or that they are interested in cheating on their partners. After doing some research they find that there are others like them, and that they are not as abnormal as they originally thought. They discover that there are more people out there like them, and that it is possible to enter into multiple, honest relationships (Barker, 2005). More people might be interested in polyamorous relationships if they were not afraid of the repercussions placed on them by society. People are afraid of ideas that go against cultural norms, and nonmonogamous relationships definitely push the boundaries. They might view polyamorous relationships as more realistic for their lifestyles and how they feel about relationships, but are too afraid to enter into a polyamorous relationship because they are pressured by their culture to participate in exclusive relationships. Also, many people who do engage in polyamorous relationships are not actually “out” about their relationships or sexual interests. Very small numbers of people are actually open about their nonmonogamous relationships either sexually or emotionally (Barker, 2005). Many people are
Could you imagine living in a world where it is acceptable for a man to marry more than one woman and be open about it? Not many can and that is why the practice of polygamy such is seen as taboo. The families usually live very private lives and they do not interact with a lot of the rest of America due to anti-bigamy society we live in. Polygamy is the practice of being married to more than one person at the same time (Webster 2015). This is not to be confused with an open relationship or an open marriage. This topic has been viewed and deemed as controversial for many years. As a practice that was not accepted in the public eye, it recently has gained more attention with mainstream media and culture. With shows on television such as “Sister
The first element is the different types of polyamorous relationships and to explain this I use an article call This is my Partner, and this is my…Partner’s Partner: Constructing a Polyamorous Identity in a Monogamous World and also I used information from the Polyamorous Society main website, where they create campaigns and educate people about this lifestyle. Both of this articles explain the different categories of polyamorous, primary, secondary, third, triads, quads, etc. Also, they explain the difference and characteristics of each type of relationship and they provide additional information about what polyamory was and what kind of people tend to be polyamorist. I used another article call There Aren't Words For What We Do Or How We Feel So We Have To Make Them Up': Constructing Polyamorous Languages In A Culture of Compulsory Monogamy to describe the reason why polyamorist create their own language and why they are against the language that monogamous use. The article call Situational Sexual Behaviors: The Ideological Work Of Moving Toward Polyamory In Communal Living Groups, I used to describe the community that polyamorous create for people who solely practice their lifestyle. Also, this article provided with three main reasons why they did not wanted to live in monogamous communities, which I has stated in my paper. All of this sources gave me detail information and quotes that allowed me to prove that they were characteristics of
Polygamy is the custom of having more than one wife or husband at the same time. Polygamy
In Western culture, there have been attempts to establish polygamist groups, primarily based upon differing religious viewpoints; however, most of these have not been able to withstand the pressure applied by the religious and cultural majority. If one wants to live and prosper in a given society, it is not advantageous to swim too hard against the current.
My experience as therapist tells me it’s important to make distinctions between a true orientation and sudden, unilateral or what I would call faux-polyamory, because of the harm it does to unwitting participants, the concept of polyamory itself, to those who practice ethical non-monogamy.
Polygamy is the practice of being married to more than one person simultaneously; also known as plural marriage. “Traditionally, polygamy has been practised in Hindu, Islamic, and Christian (Mormon) societies, among others” (Chittom) Polygamy is illegal in the united states, however it is still practiced. In fact, polygamy is becoming more widespread. According to the Daily Beast, “In 2001, only 7 percent of Americans deemed polygamy morally acceptable. Now 16 percent find it morally acceptable. (Allen) Plural marriage is becoming more popular. “Rough estimates place the polygamous population in the U.S. is somewhere between 50,000 to 100,000 people” (Allen) Even though plural marriage is illegal in most 1st world countries, “Polygamy remains a common practice
Polygamy is the practice of being married to one or more person at the same time. Polygamy exists in three specific forms polygyny wherein a man has multiple simultaneous wives; polyandry where in a woman has multiple simultaneous husbands. Woman has multiple simultaneous husbands; or group marriages wherein the family unit consists of multiple husbands and multiple wives.
Marriage is a social institution that is practiced globally. Traditionally marriages are known to occur between one man and one woman. However, cultural values and time have reshaped and birthed new types of marriages. Polygamy is a type of marriage that is often practiced around the world specifically in Asia, Middle East, and Africa. Polyamorous marriages have been in existence for centuries. Polygamy is classified into two categories, polygyny, and polyandry. Polygyny is the most popular type of polygamy, in this type of polygamous marriage, a man is married to multiple women. On the other hand, polyandry which is the least familiar type of polygamy is where a woman is married to multiple husbands. The intolerance of Mormons in the United States has led to the outlawing of polyamorous marriages. The Morrill Anti Bigamy law of 1862 outlawed the practice of polygamy in the United States. Like many other laws, this law can be overturned. In fact, it should be reversed because illegalizing polygamy is unethical. Polygamy should be legalized because it is unconstitutional for it to be illegal, same-sex marriages and interracial marriages are legal, therefore so should polyamorous marriages. In addition, legalizing polygamy would prevent immigrant families who practice polygamy from being separated and it would also strengthen the feminist movement.
Polygamy is the practice of having more than one spouse and is culturally accepted in many parts of the world, but is illegal in the United States. There are two well known forms of polygamy, both of which are still presently practiced in numerous cultures globally, polygyny and polyandry. These practices take place in societies where it is important to have either more men or more women in a families’ household based on the kind of environment they reside in. This paper is going to take a look at who practices polygamy, the history of polygamy in the United States, and how this kind of polygamous lifestyle affects the children that are the products of these family structures.