Non-Monogamous vs. Polyamorous Relationships: Meaning & Differences

There is a growing awareness of ethical non-monogamy– relationships in which two or more people are sexually and/or romantically involved with someone other than their primary partner. 

The term was coined in 1979 by Canadian psychologist Elyn Saks. Ethical non-monogamy has been explored in a number of academic and popular books, as well as on podcasts and blogs.

What is ethical non-monogamy?

The concept of ethical non-monogamy is based on several underlying principles. 

First, it is important to understand that ethical non-monogamy is not about polyamory or polygamy. Polyamory refers to romantic relationships with multiple partners, while polygamy involves the practice of having more than one spouse at a time. 

While there is some overlap between the practices of polyamory and ethical non-monogamy, the two are not synonymous. Second, ethical non-monogamy is about honesty, openness, and transparency among partners. Relationships should not be kept secret from friends and family. Finally, ethical non-monogamy is a choice and should be entered into voluntarily. There should be no coercion involved when it comes to making new romantic connections.

There is no single definition of an open relationship, as its meaning and boundaries can vary from person to person. 

However, in general, an open relationship is one in which both parties are free to pursue sexual and romantic interests outside their relationship without being threatened by their partner’s advances. 

This is in contrast to a monogamous relationship, in which two people are sexually exclusive (i.e., only have sex with each other). 

Some couples have open relationships for philosophical reasons (e.g., they do not believe monogamy is natural or healthy); others choose this type of relationship because it allows them the freedom to be spontaneous and explore their sexuality without feeling guilty about it. 

Other couples may choose an open relationship because they feel that their current relationship is not satisfying and need to explore other options. 

An open relationship does not mean a marriage that is “open” to cheating. Rather, it is a relationship where one or both partners are deliberately seeking other romantic or sexual partners outside the relationship, as opposed to one in which the partners do not pursue outside relationships.

Is an open relationship the same as polyamory?

Polyamory is a term used to describe the practice of having multiple intimate relationships with different people simultaneously. On the other hand, open relationships are more inclusive and allow for monogamous and polyamorous relationships. 

So then, are they the same thing? Not exactly. Although they share some similarities, polyamory and open relationships are different in important ways as well. There are definitely some similarities between open relationships and polyamory. However, there are some important differences too. 

One of the main differences between open relationships and polyamory is that open relationships don’t involve any long-term commitments- no partners are exclusive to one another, but everyone is free to date other people. 

In contrast, polyamory involves two or more partners agreeing to have an exclusive relationship. Both open relationships and polyamory are forms of non-monogamy (i.e. having a sexual relationship with someone other than your partner). 

However, this doesn’t mean that you and your partner can’t still have a monogamous relationship outside of open or polyamorous arrangements. Non-monogamy can be practiced in a monogamous setting and in an open or polyamorous setting. To put it another way, you can have one lover who is also being romantically involved with someone else (a monogamous arrangement) or multiple lovers who are also being romantically involved with others (an open or polyamorous arrangement).

One of the ways in which open relationships and polyamory are similar is that they both involve the practice of having multiple sexual and/or romantic relationships at the same time. In some cases, people may view polyamory as nothing more than a type of open relationship and vice versa. 

But in reality, they have some key differences that set them apart from one another. 

One of the most important differences between open relationships and polyamory is that open relationships are generally considered to be less serious than polyamorous relationships. 

This is because they’re much more casual in nature and are, therefore, more conducive to experimenting with different types of relationships (including those that involve more than one partner). 

If you’re thinking about an open relationship, you might be looking for some open relationship or open marriage ground rules. This video is right here to help you:

In contrast, polyamorous relationships tend to be more serious and are usually more stable and committed in nature. In addition, polyamorous relationships tend to last longer and are less likely to be ended on a whim than open relationships are.

Another difference between open relationships and polyamory is that many people view the former with suspicion and are therefore regarded as somewhat taboo. As a result, many people who are engaging in open relationships do so in secret in order to avoid drawing attention to themselves (and their partners). 

Meanwhile, on the other hand, polyamory tends to be more widely accepted as a perfectly normal form of sexual behavior nowadays and is generally considered to be no more controversial than monogamy is. 

So even though it’s not exactly the norm, more and more people have become increasingly accepting of the idea of practicing polyamory in recent years.