Polyamory : The Social Vision

Polyamory (from Greek πολύ [poly, meaning many or several] and Latin amor [love]) 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; 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 a given time, or be used as a description of a philosophy or relationship orientation (much like gender orientation), rather than a person's actual relationship status at a given moment. It is 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 meaning to have multiple spouses. Traditional polygamy is usually patriarchal and polygynous and may be practiced in accordance with religious beliefs and there are also traditional polyandrous societies, which may be matriarchal. Polyamory, on the other hand, is a different outlook grounded in such concepts as gender equality, self-determination, free choice for all involved, mutual trust, loyalty and negotiation, equal respect among partners, the intrinsic value of love, the ideal of compersion (getting happiness from your partner’s happiness derived from a source not necessary romantic other than you), the importance of intense and open communication and other mostly secular ideals. These are the values that distinguishes polyamory from traditional forms of non-monogamy (i.e. "cheating")

Sex is not necessarily a primary focus in polyamorous relationships. Polyamorous relationships commonly consist of people seeking to build long term relationships with more than one person on mutually agreeable grounds, with sex as only one aspect of their relationship. People who identify as polyamorous typically reject the view that sexual and relational exclusivity are necessary for deep, committed long-term loving relationships. Those who are open to, or emotionally suited for, a polyamorous lifestyle may be single or in monogamous relationships, but are often involved in multiple long-term relationships such as a triad, quad, or intimate network.

As of July 2009, there were estimated to be more than 500,000 polyamorous relationships in the United States.

Source : Wikipedia