STEP Journal, November 2018, Volume 26, Issue 9
In recent times, the concept of family has experienced
tremendous change. From the recognition of same-sex marriage to
amendments to adoption laws designed to recognise nuances of
familial structure, the definition of family today undoubtedly
captures a much broader set of relationships than the rigid dyadic
definition of days gone by.
Polyamory is the newest dimension to make its way into the
modern family. Underscoring the broad range of relationships that
can exist within the four corners of polyamory, John-Paul Boyd
describes polyamorous people as those who:
'... are, or prefer to be, involved in more than one intimate
relationship at a time. Some polyamorists are involved in stable,
long-term, loving relationships involving two or more other people.
Others are simultaneously engaged in a number of relationships of
varying degrees of permanence and commitment. Still others are
involved in a web of concurrent
