More and more people are turning to polyamory as a lifestyle these days, although many people might not know what this form of sexuality actually entails.
For those who have never heard the term before, polyamory refers to the desire for intimate relationships with more than one partner, with the consent of all partners involved.
It's difficult to estimate just how many polyamorous people there are in the world since many remain closeted, but according to research conducted by independent academic Kelly Cookson: "It appears that sexually non-monogamous couples in the United States number in the millions. Estimates based on actually trying sexual non-monogamy are around 1.2 to 2.4 million."
If you want an example of a successful polyamorous relationship, look no further than Thomas and Jonny, a gay couple from Sydney in Australia. The couple hooked up with another man named Anthony in a Perth hotel while on vacation. But when both of them fell for him, the casual fling turned them into a "throuple."
After joining a WhatsApp group together and messaging constantly as friends, they met up again in Adelaide in July 2018, and since then have pursued a three-way relationship with each other. The three have had their issues, since Anthony still lives many miles away, but the other two are prepared to move to live with him full time.
Commenting on their polyamorous relationship in a recent interview, Jonny stated: "Thomas and I have had our ups and downs, but we’ve grown from every experience and being poly has been the biggest growth of all. We all fulfil each other’s different needs and this is a new and exciting time."
Anthony added: "At first, I was surprised they wanted me to date them, as it started as just casual sex. But we spoke so much on the phone and when we met in person again the excitement only grew. I’ve never been polyamorous before either and it never crossed my mind. But I did some digging when I met Thomas and Jonny, and the articles I read made me realise it was possible. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t expect it to be difficult, but it’s been smooth and we’re all happy."
Meanwhile, Thomas stated: "We didn’t want anyone to feel left out, so we made an agreement to only have sex when the three of us were together, but our schedules didn’t always match up. Let’s face it, it’s hard enough to match up two people, let alone three – and sometimes one of us isn’t in the mood.
"After a while, quite naturally, we just started having sex with each other and it felt right ... Throuple relationships are so obscure and out of the norm that no-one assumes we’re together. This means we never feel judged or shut-in when we all want to go on a dinner date."
Despite how well things have turned out, Anthony urges other people to think long and hard about what they really want from a polyamorous relationship, and to discuss sexual needs and rules as responsibly as possible, and always make sure that all parties are in agreement.
