So who voted ??

What like a harem?

Polyamory? I think it's a little weird, but I have nothing against it. Heck, I have friends who are into Polyandry (you can love more than one person). A couple of my friends have an open relationship. They just set up the rules that both people need to know who the other partner (or partner's..but that hasn't come up yet) is, and don't bring home disease.

So far they haven't gotten into a major long term "other person". The couple I'm talking about is getting handfasted (same thing legally as getting married) next summer, and they've been togther for about 6 or 7 years now.

The problem I see with polyamory is that it would throw tax law, inheritance, custody, etc., all into total disarray. Same-sex marriage wouldn't do that, because it's still just two people, only it's Bobbi and June instead of Bobby and June.

Crap, I switched the terms (Schlyne not entirely here...on meds).

Polyandry is multiple marriage (what marla is really referring to, I think, since I typed them up backwards).

Polyamory is just loving more than one person...not necesarily getting married.

yes, polyandry. I only bring these things up because of the sociologist in me. We have inquiring minds :lol: it is being nosey with an officail name

Thought polyandry meant multiple husbands and polygamy was multiple wives? (andros gynos etc)

Either way I'd think it could get very problematic if you have any sort of emotional investment in the relationship(s). Stick with the harem ;)

There is a third term for which the correct spelling escapes me or I would have put it in there. It is something like, polyginy, except I don't think that it the right spelling. One means 1 man more than 1 woman, one means 1 woman morethan one man, and one means plural marraige, either way. I wonder, is there a word for group marraige, meaning a woman is married to a man with multiple wives and she herself has other husbands on top of that? Can a woman have a harem? It all gets very confusing. I have enough trouble keeping up with one guy let alone more than one. I dated 2 at the same time once, that turned out a mess

Actually, I used polyamory specifically because it is not gender-specific and because any legal entanglements may be complex regardless of civil marriage status implied by polygamy, unlike the traditional definition of polyandry, meaning having more than one husband, versus polygyny, meaning having more than one wife. If you want to restrict it to the possibility of legally-recognized relationships, then I think polygamy is the word you want.

Too confusing - think i will just stick with POLYESTER - meaning multiple Esthers I guess.

yes, legally recongnized, or in this case not. Did you know the more I have to use those terms in papers and what not the more confused I get. I used to have them down pat, but now not si much, it is a bit backwards. I think there is a word for the group marraige, but I cannot remeber what that is either. Grr, I think the vocabulary section of my brain is finally getting full. I knew it would happen some day considering my habit of cramming new words in there, but I didn't think it would be so soon :(