Someone was asking questions in another thread, so I made one for the separate topic instead of thread jacking.
Maybe I am misunderstanding your question then. Legally speaking, I and one wife are married, and my husband the other wife are married. I noted as much. We are spouses. Marriage isn't just limited to the legal version. Polygamy in and of itself isn't illegal. Bigamy is, which is the holding of more than one legal license, usually from different states, at the same time. As long as we don't try to get additional legal certificates, we are not in violation of the law.
Well judging by some peoples posts..that thought no one knew about thermodynamics and perpetual motion
this thread is all about legalities, has nothing to do with sex nor relationships... it's all about what the government recognizes... to me, a relationship needs no 'official' declaration, as it's no one else's business nor should the government intervene in any way... religion has no right to impose it's beliefs on others... if all parties of a relationship accept it, then who are we to say that more than one spouse is wrong or illegal...
Since I am the OP, I do believe I have a better knowledge as to what it is about. It is about asking someone who is part of the Poly community questions about that lifestyle, be it legal or otherwise. So this thread is indeed also about sex and relationships within the poly context. I agree with you insofar as the actual relationship goes. That said, if the government want to add legal benefits to marriage then it has a right to set a way to track those who want those legal benefits. It just can't make qualifications on it that violate the Constitution. As I have noted, it is not illegal to have more than one spouse in the sense of a marriage done purely on a religious or social basis. It is only illegal to seek more than one official recognition of a marriage union for the purposes of legal benefits. And while I do wish for it to be otherwise, that is within legitimate bounds of government.
Are you open with your family about being polyamorous and how do they react to that choice of lifestyle? Do you face prejudice? What kind?
I must be a girl then. Sexually attracted to more than one woman, guilty. Romantically attracted to more than one woman, not guilty.
Parts. My parents know although I didn't tell them. One day my mom outright called my non-legal wife, "your other wife". She has long referred to them as her son and daughter-in-law. My kids also know and the grandkids are going to grow up thinking nothing of it since there will always have been MaMa, PaPa, MiMi, and Grandpa. The rest of my family knows of our spouses, and I suspect they are aware of the poly aspect. But nothing has been said not asked. I know of at least one cousin who would have religious hissy fits. Ironically enough the most prejudice I/we receive is online in forums like this. Given that we have been part of, directly and indirectly, of the kink and LBGT communities as well, most of the people we associate with are already open minded. Of those who do harass me, it's mostly trying to claim I don't have a poly marriage.
Not exactly true. It's easier for men to show lust after several women. The number of poly women out there seems to be more or less even with men, when I look at all the MMF and MMMF and other polyandry like (not necessarily married though) groupings, not to mention the well mixed 4+ groups.
Perhaps it's a matter of male nature. Men are mobile gene throwers, created to father several children a day. Women, on the other hand, are longer occupied with the result of one sexual act.
Do you feel any form of jealousy sexually or have more love for any individual in this relationship? I ask because I simply cannot even imagine sharing my wife.
Poly isn't for everyone. While everyone is capable of having love for more than one person at the same time, not everyone can handle having more than one intimate (emotional, not necessarily sexual) relationship at the same time. I have noticed that polys tend to appear, in frequency, similarly to gays and bi's. And there are those that need to be poly, as well as those who can be happy either way. I am the former, and my legal wife the later. I can't say I necessarily have more love for any one individual I have a relationship with. They are each different though. For example, while romantically attracted to my husband, we are not sexually attracted to each other. As to jealousy, currently I personally have none with the current partners, save occasionally getting jealous if they get to do certain things I don't. With that said once of the things that I learned over the years is that jealousy in and of itself is rarely a source, but a symptom of something else wrong. There is a great resource called A Touch Of Flavor that delves deeper into this subject. I have learned a lot from them.
Keep in mind that I said it is easier for men to show such lust, not that it's easier for them to have it. And I think that is more a social norm that can change instead of of a biological issue. Given the way I've seen women react once they are in an environment where they know they will not be judged, they can get just as lusty and randy as any guy.
No. Common misconception. There are far more polys in this world of other religions and atheism than there are FLDS (the Mormons who are poly). I and my one wife identify as simply Christian with no claimed denomination. My other wife and our husband are Wiccan. Both of these questions have nothing to do with the topic of being poly.
The subjects of the questions also had nothing to do with same sex marriage, but you were discussing them in the same sex marriage thread.
You had asked something with regards to my husband. I pointed out that I had two wives as well and that if you wanted to inquire more along that line to ask those questions here. IOW, I didn't want to further jack the other thread with poly questions. It's already jacked bad enough. Plus, if you did have actual poly questions, the people who might have those questions and be looking here for them might see the answers.
Yes. I have experienced both. I continue to love my spouses, and I still experience lust for others outside of the marriage. Although I do require something of a relationship, not necessarily marriage level, before I can act upon it.
So the subject of my above two questions were, gay people and abortion, both of which you were discussing in the same sex marriage thread even though they have nothing to do with same sex marriage - yet you don't discuss them here!