Polyamory

Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 73. Chapters: Robert A. Heinlein, Hugh Hefner, Jean-Paul Sartre, Alfred Kinsey, Simone de Beauvoir, Adultery, Bloomsbury Group, Natalie Clifford Barney, Tilda Swinton, Vita Sackville-West, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Ganas, Terminology within polyamory, Oberon Zell-Ravenheart, A Home at the End of the World, Morning Glory Zell-Ravenheart, Church of All Worlds, My Girlfriend's Boyfriend, John Byrne, Graham Nicholls, Kerista, Dossie Easton, Triad, Compersion, V. M. Johnson, Summer Lovers, Dorothea von Rodde-Schlözer, New relationship energy, List of polyamorists, Thierry Lodé, Robert Rimmer, Polyfidelity, French Twist, The Ethical Slut, Patricia Ireland, Primary and secondary, Splendor, Liberated Christians, Loving More, Polyday, Polytrothism, Nan Wise, PolyFamilies. Excerpt: Polyamory (from Greek and Latin ) is the practice, desire, or acceptance of having more than one intimate relationship at a time with the knowledge and consent of everyone involved. Polyamory, often abbreviated to poly, is sometimes described as consensual, ethical, or responsible non-monogamy. The word is occasionally used more broadly to refer to any sexual or romantic relationships that are not sexually exclusive, though there is disagreement on how broadly it applies; an emphasis on ethics, honesty, and transparency all around is widely regarded as the crucial defining characteristic. "Polyamorous" can refer to the nature of a relationship at some point in time or to a philosophy or relationship orientation (much like gender or sexual orientation). It is used as an umbrella term that covers various forms of multiple relationships; polyamorous arrangements are varied, reflecting the choices and philosophies of the individuals involved. Polyamory differs from polygamy, which means to have multiple spouses. Traditional polygamy is usually patriarchal and polygynous (though there are also traditional polyandrous societies which may be matriarchal) and may be practiced in accordance with religious beliefs. Polyamory is a different outlook grounded in concepts such as gender equality, self-determination, free choice for all involved, mutual trust, equal respect among all partners, the intrinsic value of love, the ideal of compersion, and other mostly secular ideals. As of July 2009, there were estimated to be more than 500,000 polyamorous relationships in the United States. The defining characteristic of polyamory is belief in the possibility of, and value of, multiple romantic loving relationships carried out "with the knowledge and consent of all partners concerned." What distinguishes polyamory from traditional forms of non-monogamy (i.e. "cheating") is an ideology that openness, goodwill, intense communication, and ethical behavior should prevail among all the par