Polyamory is the practice of having open sexual or romantic relationships with more than one person at a time, with the consent of all parties involved. Some describe it as a “consensual, ethical, and responsible non-monogamy”. People who believe in polyamory reject the view that sexual and relational exclusivity are essential for long-term loving relationships. Instead, they believe in open relationships.
Key Takeaways
- Polyamory is the practice of having open sexual or romantic relationships with more than one person at a time, while polygamy is the practice of having more than one wife or husband at the same time.
- Polyamory is neither associated with marriage nor with religion, whereas polygamy is associated with both.
- Polyamory may include both homosexual and heterosexual relationships, while polygamy only includes heterosexual relationships.
What is Polyamory?
Polyamory is the practice of having open sexual or romantic relationships with more than one person at a time, with the consent of all parties involved. In polyamory, anyone of any gender can have multiple partners of any gender. Most importantly, polyamory is consensual, i.e., all parties involved know about the other partners, and they chose to be in those relationships. Moreover, open communication and equal relationships are important concepts in polyamory.
Polyamory does not relate to marriage or any religious concept. It is a relatively new concept introduced to the world in the late twentieth century.
What is Polygamy?
Polygamy is the practice of having more than one spouse at a time. There are two main categories in polygamy: polygyny and polyandry. Polygyny is the practice of having more than one wife, whereas polyandry is the practice of having more than one husband. Monogamy, which only consists of one wife and one husband, is the opposite of polygamy. Monogamy is the commonly accepted matrimonial practice in many countries.
Although not very common, the practice of polygyny is still prevalent in the world today, mainly in areas like Africa, the Middle East, and some parts of Asia. Some religions and Mormonism encourage the practice of polygyny. Furthermore, polyandry, which is the practice of a woman having multiple husbands, is far less common than polygyny.
What are the Similarities Between Polyamory and Polygamy?
- Both are multiple partner relationships.
- They are not very common practices in society.
What is the Difference Between Polyamory and Polygamy?
Polyamory is the practice of having open sexual or romantic relationships with more than one person at a time. In contrast, polygamy is the practice of having more than one wife or husband at the same time. The practice of one woman having multiple husbands is known as polyandry, whereas the practice of one man having multiple wives is known as polygyny.
Moreover, their relation to marriage and religion is also a major difference between polyamory and polygamy. Polyamory is neither associated with marriage nor with religion, whereas polygamy is associated with both. Furthermore, polygamy only includes heterosexual relationships, i.e., a man with several wives or a woman with several husbands. But, polyamory may include both homosexual and heterosexual relationships.
Summary – Polyamory vs Polygamy
Both polyamory and polygamy describe multiple partner relationships, which are rather unconventional in contemporary Western society. In summary, the key difference between polyamory and polygamy is that the polyamory is a practice of having open sexual or romantic relationships with more than one person at a time, while polygamy is a practice of having more than one wife or husband at the same time.
