There are so many types of polyamory lifestyles and relationships that it boggles the mind and the cockles. The best thing about poly is that it’s not one size fits all, because that’s just more oppression sexually, and the world needs no more of that.
Poly is a polymorphous (sorry, had to) concept of relationship and romance, and honestly, it’s best to use metaphors and similes to explain the various possibilities in poly. There are less parallels to monogamy than people can often conceive, so reframing it in other images helps to explain.
Polyamory for me has become a playground. Imagine a park that’s a block by block, full of fun rides and structures for children of all kinds to play on! And yes, this is a METAPHOR, so when I talk “kids,” I’m talking about ME and other ADULTS who are playing together. Work with me, please! Minds up here, LOL!
So yeah, us kids are all playing together, safely, and not being afraid to meet each other, talk to each other, and get to know each other. It’s not like the monogamous park, where the kids are only allowed to talk to one friend at a time, and they can’t talk to any other kids or play with any other kids at the park, even if they see the other kids having the same kinds of fun they are having. Those are their rules, and they get in *trouble* from people if they break those rules!
Back in the poly park, kids are all playing together and having fun, BUT they can NOT go outside the boundaries of the park. That’s their rule. Everyone needs rules when they play, or the games get dangerous, and people can get hurt, sometimes quite badly.
So yeah, no crossing the street, no playing in traffic, no wandering in the woods or anything for us poly people, nope. We can go all over the park with anyone we want though, so that’s that for us.
It’s fun to play around, but when it comes time for the games to be done and we have to go home, I like to go with others who respect the boundaries of the playground. It’s easier to wake up beside them without regrets and bruises and scars.
Play safe,
Addi Stewart
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