Polyamorists build their movement

Mercatornet ^ | 12/17/15 | Carolyn Moynihan

[wagglebee]

Has there ever been a marriage conference where jealousy management and STDs are on the agenda, and where cuddle parties, tantra and BDSM groups beckon from the sidelines? My guess is no, although the “marriage” scene is changing fast.

The mainstreaming of “gay marriage” has been accompanied by frank admissions that the majority of gay relationships are not monogamous but at best “monogamish”. Can “plural marriage” be far behind?

In America, surviving Mormon polygamists provide a (illegal) precedent. Polyamorists, who (so far) define themselves by "love" rather than marriage, have been arguing the merits of their lifestyle and their rights for some years now, and the movement will hold its fifth international conference at the University of California, Berkeley, in February.

According to a chatty mailout from Saturnia Regna to “polylegal” groups, the International Conference on the Future of Monogamy and Nonmonogamy (official name) will focus on academic presentations but there will also be workshops and sideshows catering for interests ranging from jealousy management and STDs, through folklore, to BDSM.

“Anyone interested in matters related to polyamory and consensual nonmonogamy is invited to attend!” and “Lots of NEW information and fresh perspectives,” are promised.

Don’t think that it’s just boring old Christian fundamentalists in America “pushing monogamy on everyone else”, the blurb suggests; or that “polyamory is a purely white, middle class, suburban phenomena”, or that it is merely the product of brain explosions among anarchists and New Age gurus in 1990s California.

No, there’s stuff happening among black Americans as well as in Japan, Israel, Nepal, Latin America, Australia and most European countries. Furthermore, “serious psychological researchers and social scientists” (this might be one of them) have something to say about “consensual nonmonogamy”. There is a “real history” of polyamory and its likely future development to learn about.

If that is “too cerebral”, or if attendees sleep through the academic presentations and have plenty of energy still, there are presentations on:

* “dealing with jealousy, communication issues, relationship skills, STDs, and other practical issues.”

* Folklore/Mythology/Media studies, and another session devoted to historical/humanities studies as well.

Also, independent of the conference:

* an art exhibition on the theme of consensual nonmonogamy

* impromptu meetings (in previous years BAY Area poly, tantra, BDSM etc groups) potlucks, cuddle parties, and jealousy management classes…

And, not least, political training:

The political conclave and sessions related to poly-activism are all happening on Sunday (FEB 14). The Political session is being run as a distinct event through a separate website and has a separate registration fee, but it happens nearby on the same weekend. We are still recruiting presenters for this section, so if you have an interest in participating or assisting with the construction of this event, please do contact us ASAP.

All in all, it looks like a comprehensive effort to build a united movement with its own science, history, mythology and political programme.

The science will, no doubt, include studies on how well children are doing in households with more than two “parents”, where jealousy is always an issue, threatening the stability of the household and the security of the children. Perhaps it will also tell us the rates of STDs and complications among polyamorists, and rates of change in household composition.

Meanwhile, watch out for media stories about happy polyamorist “families” and a history of marriage which makes “consensual nonmonogamy” look almost superior to the one man, one woman and their own children model which is the legacy of our Judaeo-Christian tradition.

[wagglebee]

The science will, no doubt, include studies on how well children are doing in households with more than two "parents", where jealousy is always an issue, threatening the stability of the household and the security of the children. Perhaps it will also tell us the rates of STDs and complications among polyamorists, and rates of change in household composition.

Sodom and Gomorrah were bastions of morality compared to what the left is trying to impose now.

[wagglebee]

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[BenLurkin]

The present is bad — and the future looks even worse.

[trisham]

This group sounds like the “New Age” types.

[Vigilanteman]

These disgusting freaks are still less deviant than the "anuses make fine vaginas" crowd.

[Dilbert San Diego]

Polygamy polyamory, group marriage are all going to be legalized.

The legal reasoning of the court cases on homosexual marriage can and will be used to justify marriages of more than two people.

The legal reasoning on homosexual marriage revolved around consenting adults living their lives, and wanting equality and dignity and such ascribed to their relationships. How do you proceed with that legal reasoning and deny those same rights to groups of people??? Liberal judges will eventually impose marriages of any number of partners any sex of partners involved.

[KC_Lion]

I cite the NFL as Precedent.

[Red Badger]

No, just old hippies......................

[Buckeye McFrog]

He ought to just turn us all into pillars of salt and get it over with.

[trisham]

Same thing:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Age

[Bratch]

He ought to just turn us all into pillars of salt and get it over with.

Not me, I never look back.

[redreno]

Smoky Backroom :)

[Calpublican]

Isn’t it hard enough to get along with one partner.

[Scirparius]

Now that the court has taken to itself to determine what constitutes a "marriage" under the law, any judge on any bench anywhere can define, redefine and undefined "marriage" in any way that he, she, it, and/or ze wants without only the barest reference to some vague notion of equal rights, etc.

[taxcontrol]

There is far more biblical support for polygamy than for homosexuality.

[Yaelle]

I’m sure there could be scholarly studies why we should rut like animals in heat whenever we feel the urge as well as shoot people who make eye contact if we feel like it. In other words, why should we even have a civilization? Why not become mere animals, do what we want, die during short, hard, selfish lives?

[Steve_Seattle]

I agree that the reasoning that supported gay marriage can - indeed, will - mandate the legalization of polygamy and polyandry. It will probably also be used to lower the age of consent for sexual relationships, allowing student-teacher sex or "consensual" sex with - or between - minors, perhaps even some forms of sex that would be considered incestuous.

For progressives, sex is a god, and they will find few if any "rational" reasons to oppose sexual activity in almost any situation imaginable. We already have officially-sanctioned "sex weeks" on several major college campuses, in which promiscuous sex is not only encouraged but even mandated through psychological pressure not to be considered "square" or "prudish."

[tflabo]

[Steve_Seattle]

The sponsors of this conference act is if its a big secret that there’s a massive porn culture in the US and worldwide, and that this porn culture extends far beyond the realm of professional porn actors, and includes hundreds of thousands - probably millions - of “ordinary” people who regularly view porn and/or engage in activities such as group sex or swapping.

[Steve_Seattle]

You make the interesting point that at the same time this lifestyle of utter promiscuity is being advanced, we are also seeing a parallel rise in a prudishness which takes offense at any “unwelcome” sexual overture, which politicizes private sexual behavior, and which casts a shadow of potential rape allegations over virtually any sexual encounter. And these two strains of thought often exist side-by-side in the same people!