If you guys have not seen this blog yet, go check out Sister Wives Blog especially if you are a fan of the series. There are regular updates and group discussions on the blog. There is a lot of gossip on the blog and in the comments too.
I am a huge Sister Wives fan probably because there are really the only a few polygamous family on television and I'm a sucker for these kinds of shows. I might not agree with them on everything (I'm not a Mormon for one) but they are fun to watch and they are a loving family.
The new season airs July 21st.
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Polygamy/Polyandry and Open Marriages
Some people confuse having a polygamous relationship with having an open marriage but the two types of relationships are different even if they share some similarities. Here are my thoughts on the two different types of relationships. Please keep in mind that these are just my thoughts. You might disagree with me.
An open marriage involves a couple being together but also having separate relationships on the side. So, a husband might have another lover while his wife has another boyfriend outside of the marriage. These outside lovers do not live with the married couple and might even be married themselves, but it is more than just being swingers (although swingers could say they have an open marriage too) because the outside relationships are more than just sex - they are actual relationships.
For me, when a couple says they have an open marriage as opposed to just a polygamous relationship, I get a feeling that the couple keep their home life for just the two of them but also have relationships outside of the marriage. On the other hand, from what I've seen and read about just polygamous relationships, it feels like a couple involved in a polygamous lifestyle have their outside partners become a part of their couple too.
A polygamous relationship is one where everyone lives together (usually and only after they've been dating a while) and has a relationship with each other. These do not all have to be sexual relationships too. One woman could have two lovers that live with her but the two lovers themselves are just friends and do not have a sexual or romantic relationship between each other.
In truth, there could be a friendship between a man's wife and his girlfriend and a couple with an open marriage could also be called polygamous.
One of the big differences between an open marriage and a polygamous relationship is... well, the marriage part. But that could just be a technicality.
It is hard to try to define the differences between an open marriage and a polygamous relationship. I could probably go into more details than what I just listed. I could talk about religions that allow polygamy but would frown on an open marriage and explain why, but I think I will end this post here. For me, an open marriage brings about a slightly different image in my mind than a polygamous relationship but there is a lot of over lap. In the end though, it really does not matter what mine of anyone else's definition of a open marriage compared to a polygamous relationship is. If a couple choose to define their relationship as an open marriage then that is what their relationship is. If a couple choose to define their relationship as polygamous then that is what their relationship is.
In both types of relationship the number one important thing is consent. Especially if you want this style of marriage or relationship to be successful. If you take on another partner without your current partner's knowledge that is cheating even if you have talked about the idea of an open relationship before. It is important that all parties involved in a polygamous or open marriage situation know what is going on at all times.
An open marriage involves a couple being together but also having separate relationships on the side. So, a husband might have another lover while his wife has another boyfriend outside of the marriage. These outside lovers do not live with the married couple and might even be married themselves, but it is more than just being swingers (although swingers could say they have an open marriage too) because the outside relationships are more than just sex - they are actual relationships.
For me, when a couple says they have an open marriage as opposed to just a polygamous relationship, I get a feeling that the couple keep their home life for just the two of them but also have relationships outside of the marriage. On the other hand, from what I've seen and read about just polygamous relationships, it feels like a couple involved in a polygamous lifestyle have their outside partners become a part of their couple too.
A polygamous relationship is one where everyone lives together (usually and only after they've been dating a while) and has a relationship with each other. These do not all have to be sexual relationships too. One woman could have two lovers that live with her but the two lovers themselves are just friends and do not have a sexual or romantic relationship between each other.
In truth, there could be a friendship between a man's wife and his girlfriend and a couple with an open marriage could also be called polygamous.
One of the big differences between an open marriage and a polygamous relationship is... well, the marriage part. But that could just be a technicality.
It is hard to try to define the differences between an open marriage and a polygamous relationship. I could probably go into more details than what I just listed. I could talk about religions that allow polygamy but would frown on an open marriage and explain why, but I think I will end this post here. For me, an open marriage brings about a slightly different image in my mind than a polygamous relationship but there is a lot of over lap. In the end though, it really does not matter what mine of anyone else's definition of a open marriage compared to a polygamous relationship is. If a couple choose to define their relationship as an open marriage then that is what their relationship is. If a couple choose to define their relationship as polygamous then that is what their relationship is.
In both types of relationship the number one important thing is consent. Especially if you want this style of marriage or relationship to be successful. If you take on another partner without your current partner's knowledge that is cheating even if you have talked about the idea of an open relationship before. It is important that all parties involved in a polygamous or open marriage situation know what is going on at all times.
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