I’ll give you all a second to pick your jaw up off the floor.

Polyamory (having multiple intimate partners) is a growing lifestyle that isn’t getting much traction in the media.

The only time you hear about a relationship with multiple partners, it’s usually on a show like Sisterwives. Sisterwives, a polygamous relationship, usually involves the male figure having multiple female partners.

Polyamorous relationships, on the other hand, usually mean that both people have multiple partners. What’s interesting about poly relationships is that one poly relationship may look completely different to the next since different couples will have different boundaries. What works for some couples, doesn’t work for others!

According to Ozy.com about 4 to 5% of Americans practice polyamory and according to this brand spankin’ new study, it turns out that more women like the idea of non-monogamy than men do.

Who woulda guessed?

Me. I woulda guessed.

The study:

Researcher Anne-Laure Le Cunff at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience at King’s College London conducted this 2018 working paper.

It surveyed 509 people around the world who self-identify as one of these three things:

1. Polyamourous (multiple partners)
2. Monoamorous (one person)
3. Ambiamorous (can be in a monogamous or polyamorous relationship)

It looked at each of these individuals’ attitudes toward romantic exclusivity.

It’s important to note that 55% identified as LGBTQ+, 38% identified as straight and 7% were unsure.

The results:

Women scored higher than men in terms of sexual and romantic openness (both, for themselves and for their partners).

The reason this isn’t that shocking is because the attributes traditionally associated with women are good to have in non-monogamous relationships.

For example, in poly relationships, communication is even more vital than in monogamy; usually that’s a trait attributed to females. Jealousy and possessiveness, on the other hand, is a trait that tends to be socially conditioned among heteronormative men.

Key Takeaways:

Polyamorous relationships, like anything, won’t work for everyone but it’s definitely an option that shouldn’t be overlooked!

Even though the findings go against what we thought was true (men preferring non-monogamous relationships), it’s still not entirely conclusive.

Part of the reason being that over 50% of the people involved in this study identified as part of the LGBTQ+ community which naturally lends itself to more romantically open people. But, definitely a fact to pull out at your next party!

H/T: Ozy