Category: Non-monogamy

Interviewees wanted for book about parenting within non-traditional relationships

Sadie Smythe (blogger at Sadie's Open Marriage) is writing a book on parenting within non-traditional relationships, and she wants to hear from you!

As a parent living in an Open Marriage, the most-asked question I receive is, "What about your daughter?" So, I have decided to write a book that answers this question and all the others that go along with it. Questions such as "What do you tell her about your relationship?" and "How do you think it will affect her worldview?" and ohsomany more.

. . . So I am looking for others like me (and unlike me,) who have designed their relationship in a way that suits them, but which might be considered to fall outside of that traditional relationship paradigm -- married and living and parenting separately, unmarried and living next door to each other, polyamorous parenting, swinging parents, queer parents, transgendered parents, kinky moms and dads, etc. -- who would be interested in being interviewed and quoted in the book.

Interviews can be either anonymous or credited. Email Smythe at sadiessmythe [at] gmail [dot] com.

Mockumentary web series questions monogamy

A newly-launched mockumentary web series called The Monogamy Experiment is offering a fun, off-the-cuff look at open relationships. The series is about a young couple who decide to dabble in non-monogamy for 30 days.

The series is written, co-produced, and directed by actress Amy Rider (known for her role in The Secret Life of the American Teenager). Various members of the cast are known for their roles on Charmed, The Big Bang Theory, and Heroes.

More info about the series:

The Monogamy Experiment combines the genres of documentary and romantic comedy into a naturalistic mockumentary. A "too-young-to-get-married-yet" 20-something experiments on herself and her boyfriend to find the truth about whether we are truly monogamous or not before they head to the altar. The world of The Monogamy Experiment has a light but grounded tone, while everything about the acting indicates this is nothing less then a true documentary, comedic situations abound.

The Monogamy Experiment is about the human condition -- whether or not we can be pegged into the hole of being the type of animals who are biologically monogamous or not... or whether human emotions blur any ability to peg us into any category at all.

Here's the first episode:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pPmatPfpy4

Episodes two and three can be found on YouTube, with more to come. The Monogamy Experiment can also be followed on Twitter and Facebook.

[SSEXBBOX] seeks family photos of all kinds

Queer publication [SSEXBBOX] Magazine is working on a unique photo series called the "Family Portrait Project." Their call for submissions made me think of all the various poly configurations out there:

Based on the idea of classical family portraits the [SSEXBBOX] team is looking to put together an international photo series that highlights the new evolutionary paradigm of relationship dynamics. We would like you and your "family" to take a photograph and briefly explain to us how y'all relate to one another.

Need more inspiration? Think American Gothic, traditional wedding photographs, family reunion photographs, quinceanera photographs, Paris is Burning: House of Xtravaganza and House of Ninja, Flintstones meet the Jetsons, and the Cosbys in a blender with a splash of queer fairy energy, ice, and a dash of creativity.

Submitted photographs must be 300dpi and should be accompanied by a brief description of 30 words or less. Submissions and questions can be sent to magazine [at] ssexbbox [dot] com. The deadline is August 15, 2011.

[SSEXBBOX] can also be found on Facebook and Twitter.

What makes polyamory so satisfying?

Kendra Holliday, the sex blogger behind The Beautiful Kind, recently wrote a piece entitled Love Like an Ocean: Diving Deep into Polyamory. Holliday first writes about her current open relationship. Simply knowing that she has the freedom to sleep with other people, she says, is very gratifying.

The article is not merely a personal one, though. Holliday also dissects the poly experience, concluding that the thrill of polyamory lies in new experiences and living passionately.

Why is it acceptable in our society to love more than one sport with a passion? Read different books? Why is it acceptable to love more than one child? Yet it’s not okay to love more than one person romantically at a time . . . Just as some people express their passions through salsa dancing, running marathons, or climbing mountains, polys follow their passion through loving. Since sex is so taboo in our society, polys are more often misunderstood and feared than people with mainstream passions.

In the article's final section, Holliday writes about accidental vs. intentional polyamory, stressing that no matter which path brought you to polyamory, it's important to be emotionally stable and communicate honestly with your partners.

Give it a read over at BlogHer.