ONCE CONSIDERED A more “niche” or “alternative” lifestyle, polyamory is finally breaking into mainstream cultural conversations, from advice columns to movies, TV shows, and celebrity representation. And that’s great news! It means more people are recognizing that some can love more than one person at once, and that the several types of polyamorous relationships are just as legitimate as monogamous ones. It’s estimated that 4 to 5% of people living in the United States are polyamorous: that’s roughly 17 million people in the U.S. However, those numbers will likely increase, as a 2016 YouGov study found that only half of millennials (defined as people under 30 at the time) want a “completely monogamous” relationship. However, despite an increase in visibility around polyamory, there’s still a lot of confusion around what exactly polyamory is, and what the different types of poly relationships are. We clear it all up, below. What are the different types of polyamory?The definition of polyamory is broad, but that’s on purpose. There’s no “one way” to be poly, and there are various types of relationship structures and dynamics that all fall under the wide-ranging polyamorous umbrella. So, let’s break down some of the more common types of polyamory (and their associated terms). Hierarchical Polyamory Example: John lives with his wife, and they each have a boyfriend they see once a week.“When someone is practicing hierarchical polyamory, there is a prioritization of partners,” explains Rachel Wright, MA, LMFT, licensed psychotherapist and sex educator. Often, the language associated with… Click below to read the full story from Men’s Health
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