Polyamory

Polyamory is a form of ethical, or consensual, non-monogamy that involves having romantic or sexual relationships with multiple partners at the same time. Relationships can involve three or more people. Polyamory can look different from person to person, and can be tailored to fit any relationship.  

A “polycule” is the term used to describe a group of individuals who are connected through romantic and / or sexual relationships. The members of a polycule may or may not all be in relationships with each other. This is because a polycule may include a partner’s partners within the polycule, with whom an individual is not in a relationship with; the word used to refer to a partner’s partners is “metamours”. 

Kitchen table polyamory is the idea that members of a polycule (i.e. one’s partners and metamours) may sit around a kitchen table and dine or sip coffee together. 

Unlike kitchen table polyamory, some people would rather not get too close to their metamours, although they might not mind meeting them from time to time. As the name “garden party” suggests, they may only socialise with or see their metamours at larger events like birthdays, for instance. 

Hierarchical polyamory involves a hierarchy system that includes primary and secondary partners. Primary partners take priority over other partners or relationships.

This often describes partners who are married, live together, or have families together.

Primary partners can form additional secondary relationships, but these relationships do not have the same level of priority that the primary relationship does.

Non-hierarchical polyamory doesn't involve any ranking, so each relationship or partner, while different, are all seen equally. Someone in this type of relationship would see each partner equal, even though each relationship functions differently. No relationship is placed in order of importance over another. 

Think of the letter V. Now imagine that person A is at the bottom of the alphabet “V”, while persons B and C are at the left and right top corners of the “V” respectively. Simply put, A is dating B and C separately, and there is no connection between B and C. 

In a triad or throuple, persons A, B, and C are all dating or sexually involved with each other. 

In a Quad, there are a few ways this could have come about, two couples could have formed a quad, or a triad could have added a fourth member. 

In solo polyamory a person has multiple partners, without the need for a primary partner. They may not feel the need to reach certain relationship milestones such as getting married, managing finances together, buying a house with a partner, or having a family. In solo polyamory the person prioritizes themself rather than a partner as primary.