PolyOz

The not-uncommon shadow side of monogamy involves making promises of sexual exclusivity but secretly not always keeping them. The dramas involved are part of the monogamous worldviews.

The Mormons originally practiced a form of polygamy (specifically polygyny - multiple husbands was not OK, only multiple wives). A few renegades still do. This is culturally not part of the polyamorous movement; it's yet anther alternative to monogamy.

This has expanded to a more general concept which can be applied to couples or multi-partner primary relationships. And open relationship may allow partners to have additional lovers who are not part of this relationship; a closed one requires that members not be lovers with anybody not "inside" it.

The positive feelings one gets when a lover is enjoying another relationship. Sometimes called the opposite or flip side of jealousy. May coexist with "jealous" feelings. Coined by either the Kerista community on the US West Coast, or by the Zegg community in Germany.

Somebody who figures that these alternative relationships are unstable, and consciously or unconsciously tries to pull one of the partners off into a monogamous relationship with themselves. References "cutting a filly out of the herd".

Just another name for a pair or couple relationship, standalone or as one piece of a larger relationship. Often used as "dyadic".

Sometimes the genders of a triad are given as acronyms for a short description of some of the dynamics. If it's a Vee relationship, the hinge is typically in the middle. Obviously extensible to more than three, though less commonly.

Sometimes the genders of a triad are given as acronyms for a short description of some of the dynamics. If it's a Vee relationship, the hinge is typically in the middle. Obviously extensible to more than three, though less commonly.

(Fluid bonding)

Fluid bonding is the practice of sexual partners who explicitly choose to expose themselves to each other's bodily fluids.

The usual motivating factor is greater enjoyment of sex without barriers, latex or otherwise. Since fluid exposure is a conduit for STDs, by taking part in fluid bonding, participants are effectively trusting their sexual partners with their health. Ruling out sex or requiring strict protective behavior with any third partners is a common strategy for safety. The risks of belonging to a fluid-bonded group rise with the size of that group.

Two fluid bonded partners can practice fluid monogamy. Larger groups of people have also taken part in fluid-bonded polyamorous relationships. One approach to fluid bonding is for partners to agree not to exchange fluids with anyone else for six months, then undergo a comprehensive sexually transmitted disease screening. The couple is then free to evaluate any risk that sharing their fluids might entail. Some lovers have been willing to acquire a condition of their long-term partners in order to increase physical intimacy

Sometimes the genders of a triad are given as acronyms for a short description of some of the dynamics. If it's a Vee relationship, the hinge is typically in the middle. Obviously extensible to more than three, though less commonly.

Fraternal polyandry is a custom of sharing or marrying a female by two or more brothers. It is practiced in the Himalayas (Tibet, Nepal and parts of northern India) and also in the Canadian Arctic.

In Tibet, society allows a variety of marriages, including 'Fraternal Polyandry'. As a country which is largely a high altitude desert and has had to keep its population in check, Tibetans have used a variety of methods to do so. Fraternal polyandry, female infanticide, and sending children to monasteries to become celibate monks are some of the means used.

This custom 'fraternal polyandry' was also followed in northern India and Nepal, where it's now outlawed. In the Mahabharata, Arjuna wins the hand of Drupadi and then goes and tells his mother that he has won a prize. Kunti, his mother, not realizing what the prize is, commands him to share the prize with his brothers. The brothers then take her on as a common wife.

(is not Polygamy) The term, "group marriage," refers to a unique form of marital arrangment which occurs very rarely. Because group marriage occurs so rarely, the term is often mistakenly perceived as if it is another form of polygamy. It is not. Group Marriage is absolutely NOT the same thing as polygamy. Instead, group marriage operates from a more communal basis, and is a matter of greater multiplication. The Encyclopaedia Britannica defines group marriage as being "the marriage of several men with several women. As an institutionalized social practice, group marriage is extremely rare; nowhere does it appear to have existed as the prevailing form of marital arrangement." (Reference). The Encyclop dia Britannica defines polygamy as "marriage to more than one spouse at a time-either polygyny, marriage with more than one woman, or polyandry (q.v.), marriage with more than one man. The term polygamy is often used, however, as a synonym for polygyny, which appears once to have been common in most of the world." (Reference). By definition, therefore, polygamy is only one of two things: polygyny or polyandry. In a semantic sense, and to make it easier to perceive the difference, polygamy can be understood as "poly monogamy." For example, in polygyny, the husband is identified as the polygamist, while his wives are not. The "gyny" part of the word, polygyny, refers exclusively to "women" in therefore defining the meaning that the polygamist husband is only married to women, females, wives. He is polygamous to them, while they are each individually monogamous to him. The wives are neither married to each other nor to anyone else. The same principle applies to polyandry. In this case, the wife is identified as the polygamist, while her husbands are not. The "andry" part of the word, polyandry, refers exclusively to "men" in therefore defining the meaning that the polygamist wife is only married to men, males, husbands. She is polygamous to them, while they are each individually monogamous to her. The husbands are neither married to each other nor to anyone else. This shows that polygyny refers to a polygamous husband with his wives who are monogamous toward him. In that same way, polyandry refers to a polygamous wife with her husbands who are monogamous toward her. However, group marriage expands that concept with greater multiplication. In group marriage, everyone in the group is married to everyone else in the group. This means that it is possible for more than one person in both genders to be part of the group marriage. This is in contrast to polygyny which has only one husband, and to polyandry which has only one wife. This explains the semantic understanding that polygamy is more easily perceived as "poly monogamy" - but it would not be correct to call polygamy as a type or form of monogamy. In sum, the differences between polygamy and group marriage are significant. 1. Polygamy can only have one from one gender married to many of the other gender; 2. can be semantically perceived as "poly monogamous" but can not really be called "monogamy." 1. Group marriage means that everyone in the group is married to everyone else in the group; 2. can be semantically perceived as "poly polygamous" but can not really be called "polygamy." For these reasons, to mistakenly identify group marriage as if it is some type or form of polygamy is as illogical and inaccurate as saying that polygamy is somehow a type or form of monogamy. It is simply not true. Group marriage is definitely NOT polygamy.

In the case of a Vee relationship, or similar dynamics in a more complex relationship, the "person in the middle", more bonded to each end than they are to each other, is sometimes called the hinge. One can imagine the hinge being more widely spread the less connected the others are. Without the hinge, the others would often go their separate ways.

Sometimes poly folks are embedded in a network of relationships, with friends and lovers and ex lovers and maybe future lovers, who themselves may be friends, lovers, ex and future lovers with each other. Some may be couples, some may be single, some could be in larger groups.

The Mormons originally practiced a form of polygamy (specifically polygyny - multiple husbands was not OK, only multiple wives). A few renegades still do. This is culturally not part of the polyamorous movement; it's yet anther alternative to monogamy.