Hi, I’m Kale. Today I want to talk about the differences between relationship anarchy and non-hierarchical polyamory. First, I should give a quick explanation of what hierarchical polyamory is. Hierarchical Polyamory Polyamory (or poly for short) is the practice of having multiple, simultaneous, consensual relationships. Hierarchical poly is when there is a ranking system among…
Full Transcript: Hi! I’m Kale. I am going to talk about how relationship anarchy differs from polyamory in how it levels out social hierarchies. Polyamory Polyamory is a relationship style where people have romantic relationships with more than one person. It is a form of ethical nonmonogamy, and is based on consent. Polyamorous people might…
Full Transcript: Hi! I’m Kale. I’m going to talk about relationship anarchy today. Relationship anarchy (or RA for short) is a a way of practicing relationships. The idea was developed in Sweden in the early 2000s, and the term relationship anarchy is credited to Andie Nordgren. RA is similar to polyamory, and some may say…
Full Transcript: Hi, my name is Kale. I created the website relationship-anarchy.com. And I wanted to create some videos, to supplement the things we talk about on that site. This is my very first video, I hope you enjoy it. What I want to talk today is nonmonogamy. Right before I talk about that, I’m…
Originally posted in 2006 on a Swedish website. Written by Andie Nordgren (@nordgren), one of the first people to use the term relationship anarchy. This is a great starting point for someone just starting to look into RA. It has nine short paragraphs that cover the basics, from valuing each relationship independently to designing commitments…
After Louisa Leontiades (@AskLouloria) wrote The Mass Exodus of Polyamorous People Toward Relationship Anarchy, some people felt as though the term relationship anarchy was being appropriated. This article reflects on that, and explains what relationship anarchy means to her. Read The Appropriation of Relationship Anarchy by Non-Anarchists
The mainstream seems fascinated with polyamory, but only when it looks surprisingly similar to monogamy. Andrea Zanin (@sexgeekAZ) explains what polynormativity looks like, and some of the problems it causes in non-monogamous relationships. Read The Problem With Polynormativity
After reading The Problem With Polynormativity, Eve Rickert (@everickert) posts a helpful discussion about what hierarchy in relationships looks like. She gives some real life examples, talks about needs, boundaries, and personal agency. Read Polyamory and Hierarchy
The Thinking Asexual questions how to create equality in relationships with the words we use to describe them. The word “partner” has a lot of meaning attached to it from the monogamous world, meaning that relationship anarchy seeks to reject. With the limited words we have, what is the alternative to partner, girlfriend, boyfriend, husband,…
Ane Vegane’s article on DIY Conspiracy (@DIYconspiracy) writes about having ‘deep and uncompromising’ relationships with her friends. She has a great way of explaining how If we don’t use hierarchies, we won’t have ‘primary’ partners or ‘best’ friends. Relationships can unfold naturally, without expectations or strict boundaries. Read Out On The Open Sea With Boats…
Ian MacKenzie (@ianmack) interviews Mel Mariposa (@PolySingleish) to discuss relationship anarchy, developing community, and having authentic relationships. They get into some interesting stuff that you rarely read about in RA posts. There is also a transcript posted if you’re unable to listen. Listen to the podcast or read the transcript The Rise of Relationship Anarchy
The Thinking Asexual three types of non-monogamy: hierarchical polyamory, non-hierarchical polyamory and relationship anarchy. The differences between non-hierarchical poly and RA can be a confusing, this post goes over some of the reasons they are different. It also delves into how an RA might view non-romantic / nonsexual friendships. Read Relationship Anarchy vs. Nonhierarchial Polyamory