Unlike an open relationship, where partners may have an agreement to have sex with people outside the relationship but remain committed to loving only each other, polyamorous people are often committed to loving multiple partners.

Are poly relationships hard?

Being polyamorous in a monogamous world is hard. A lot of problems one might want to blame on polyamory arise because figuring out how to live in a world not designed for polyamory can be really hard. Helping folks learn to navigate that is probably more important than blaming polyamory.

What does a polyamorous relationship look like?

According to New York City relationship expert and author Susan Winter, who spoke to The Independent, a polyamorous relationship is often “characterised by a primary couple that openly (and with mutual consent) engage with other romantic partners. These sexual liaisons may be enacted as a couple, or independently.”