2. Traditional Polygamy
One-third of the World’s Population
85% of the world cultures
84.5% Polygyny
.05% Polyandry
Resource-Based
Wealthy Males could Afford Multiple Wives
15-20% of Males could afford to be Polygynous
Males who shared a wife did so to prevent subdividing family farms
Practices by Nymba of Tibet
3. First Wave
Style: Patriarchal Polygyny
Strict Rules for Social/Sexual Conformity
Communal Living
Income Sharing
Reproduction Controlled
Sterilization
Rules for Sexual Reproduction
Birthing Practices
Communal Parenting
5. The Oneida Community
Founded by Perfectionist Preacher, John Humphrey Noyes
19th c. 500-person Group Marriage
Coitus Reservatus
Complex Marriage
Banned Pair Bonding
Ascending Fellowship
Stirpiculture Breeding Program
6. The Farm
Founded in San Francisco in 1971
Relocated to Tennessee
Vows of poverty
Four Marriage System
For those with “juice” and ability
Spiritual Midwifery
Ina May Gaskin
200 Aging Boomers Remain
7. The Kerista Commune
SF based intentional community
25 years (early 70s -- mid-90s)
Compersion (invented the word)
no jealousy (Pines & Aronson, 1981)
Polyfidelity
Starling Brothers and Sisters
B-FICs -- Best Friend Identity Clusters
8. “Polyamory” is Named
Morning Glory Zell Ravenhart’s essay “Bouquet of Flowers”
published in The Green Egg (1990) names the concept, “Poly-
Amory” (fusing Greek and Latin)
9. Second Wave
Feminism
Founded by Women
Focus on Communication
Boundaries
Transparency
Incorporates Compersion Ideal
Jealousy Inner Work
NRE – New Relationship Energy
Search for Unicorns
Bi-Women to form a Triad with an Open M/F Couple
16. Third Wave
Poly Goes Mainstream
Fueled by the Internet
Mass Media
Showtime TV Series
Frequent Coverage as a News Feature
Regarded as a “Thing”
Simply another Relationship Option
Solo Poly becomes an Identity
Metamours Embraced!
Relationship Escalator Challenged
Relationship Anarchy
Gender Fluidity
Gender Non-Binary Celebrated
24. Third Wave Challenges
Growing Pains
No Longer Discreet Community of Special People
Physical Appearance Matters
Beautiful People Become Popularizers
No Longer a Bastion for Geeks and Misfits
A Relationship Choice
Not just for those Seeking to Live in Integrity
Less “Journey” to access Polyamory
Multiplicity of Intimacy Interests and Goals
25. Therapeutic Challenges
Anyone Can Do It
Triads Should Do Everything Together
Polyamory is a Solution to Cheating
Reading a Couple of Books Qualifies Participation
Acting Out as Retribution for Boundary Negotiation
Anyone Dating Multiple People is Poly
Transparency and Consensuality Not Expected