Author: Tristan Taormino

Petition for multiple-person family law in Taiwan gains signatures

Victoria Hsu, lawyer and president of the Taiwan Alliance to Promote Civil Partnership Rights (TAPCPR), is collecting signatures on a proposal for new Taiwan marriage laws that would allow both same-sex marriages and legal protections for multiple-person relationships.

The multiple-person family portion of the proposed law would adapt the existing law, which Hsu considers "out of date" and "patriarchal," since it is rooted in the practice of concubinage.

The petition has almost 30,000 signatures so far, and Hsu hopes to acquire one million by the end of 2013.

If Hsu's law is adopted by the government, Taiwain would be the first country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage -- and one of the first countries in the world with a multiple-person family law.

Polyamory Weekly podcast added to The Kinsey Institute

In the fall 2012 issue of their newsletter, The Kinsey Institute announced that the archival episodes of Cunning Minx's Polyamory Weekly podcast has now been added to their Kenneth R. Haslam Collection on Polyamory.

Founded in 1947, The Kinsey Institute at Indiana University promotes interdisciplinary research and scholarship in the fields of human sexuality, gender, and reproduction. The Kenneth R. Haslam Collection, developed by Dr. Haslam in order to further public and academic understanding of polyamory, contains a wealth of materials, including books, conference materials, research articles, newsletters, archives of web-based discussion groups, and more.

With over 340 episodes to date, Cunning Minx has been hosting and producing the Polyamory Weekly podcast since 2005. It is, indeed, becoming a historic bit of polyamory-focused media.

Poly in the Twin Cities is front page news

City Pages, a Minneapolis/St. Paul alternative paper, not only wrote about polyamory -- they made it the cover story.

As a look into the poly scene in the area, the lengthy story profiles a triad and as well as a woman who is dating around. The triad consists of Carrie, who is a member of the board on MN Poly (the Minnesota Polyamory Network) and her two partners, Rick and Mark.

The other woman profiled is Jami, a bisexual 31-year-old who is also a member of MN Poly. She explains why polyamory fits her:

To me, being poly is about building open, honest, lasting relationships. I just believe that some people are meant to be monogamous and others aren't. I tried being monogamous and I realized it's not for me. Some people say that being poly isn't an orientation like being straight or gay, that it's a choice. Personally, I think that the fact I don't have to be everything for just one person is fantastic. It's just better.

The story covers a lot of ground, detailing both the triad and Jami's varied experiences, such as how they realized they were poly and how their friends and family have reacted to it. It also makes note of the many poly groups and organizations throughout the state (including Modern Poly), and Carrie talks about how far the community has come in recent years.

Plus, as a result of this article, in which Carrie mentioned that poly folks with children may not want to talk to media outlets for fear of legal repercussions, a woman named Julia Janousek from north Minneapolis came forward, offering herself as an interview subject on the topic of raising kids as a polyamorous mom. Janousek explains that she never sat her kids down to tell them she was poly, and instead just presents the situation as their normal life.

Read the whole City Pages article and follow-up interview.

Poly Living 2013 early registration discount!

Want to attend the 8th annual Poly Living conference at a super discounted rate? The time to purchase tickets is now! The early registration price of $80 is still available, but will increase soon.

The conference will take place February 8th through 10th, 2013, at the Embassy Suites Philadelphia Airport Hotel. It is an event for learning and connecting with others:

Since 2005 when George Marvil hosted the first Poly Living Conference in Philadelphia, it has been the best place to warm up your winter with fun, learning and polyamory community. Whether you are new to polyamory and wanting to find out more, a professional interested in helping clients or an experienced poly person looking to have fun with old friends, Poly Living is a great place to learn, explore and connect with real people.

Workshops will be facilitated by nationally and regionally known presenters, with a range of topics ranging from the serious to the fun. This year's keynote speaker is Kamala Devi, of Showtime's Polyamory: Married & Dating, who is also an author, coach, activist, and performance artist. She has been practicing polyamory for 15 years.

Get tickets now before the early registration price disappears!