Home for the holidays — with multiple partners

Sierra Black, a poly woman who has been on 20/20 and writes articles on non-monogamy, has penned a new and useful piece called "How To Bring Your Boyfriend Home For The Holidays -- When You're Polyamorous."

Black has previously opted not to bring a boyfriend to Thanksgiving in order to keep the peace, but she has some excellent pointers for those wanting to share their multiple partners with the family:

Above all, remember that you're going to a lot of effort to spend time with these people -- all these people, your parents and your partners -- because you love them. You want them to connect with each other. Look for the comfort zone between your partners and your parents, just as you would with one partner. Don't expect them to fit perfectly together, but find the points of overlap and focus on those. Does everyone love Chinese food? Maybe skip the traditional meal and order take-out. Universal fondness for board games? Bring some and cut the conversation short in favor of a few rounds of Dixit.

Read the rest at the Huffington Post. (Polyamory Weekly also did a podcast last year on this topic.)

Non-monogamous? Take this online survey

Four researchers are looking for participants in an online survey for non-monogamous and potentially non-monogamous folks. The survey explains:

This survey is the beginning of an ongoing research effort to gain information about the community of individuals who engage in consensual, nonexclusive intimate relationships, or who are philosophically open to doing so, regardless of their current relationship configuration. We undertake this effort in order to better understand this community, its beliefs, practices, and desires, as well as its position within the larger mosaic of humanity.

With knowledge comes the ability to better serve this community, to better represent its interests in the public discourse, and to foster understanding, acceptance and nondiscrimination in the broader sphere. We deeply appreciate your willingness to share your information in furtherance of this important pursuit.

The results of this survey will be used by the researchers to write and publish academic articles and dissertations, in the hope of raising awareness in the scientific community about non-monogamy. One researcher is also writing a book.

The survey should take 35 to 60 minutes to complete, and researchers ask that you answer the questions in one sitting. Answers will remain confidential, with no individually identifying information collected. Take the survey here.

You can follow the progress of the study on its Facebook page.