SSM and POLYGAMY: Another Canadian makes the case

Thanks to Eve for forwarding this story "Why just two spouses?" here. Excerpts below.

by Michelle Maloney Leonard / Xtra! Jun 26 2003

"Over drinks, my friend describes her son's confusion about and upset over a family tree project he was asked to complete at school. He didn't know how to squish his father, mother and his mother's long-time partner into the two boxes for "parents." He came away from the assignment feeling uncertain and acting strangely toward his mom's lover.

I nod knowingly. As a kid who didn't know my biological father, but later gained an adoptive one, I remember dreading a similar assignment. I feared that it would out me as the product of an unconventional home.

Our culture is uncomfortable with the idea of having more than two parents. Not surprising, considering the discomfort conventional-minded folks feel about the idea of having more than one romantic partner.

At one point in my life I was maintaining relationships with three women simultaneously. I still remember the awkward silences at dinner parties with straight friends when they realized they weren't confused, but rather, I had more than one lover.

Over the course of a year and half, I realized the extent to which folks with multiple partners are socially stigmatized. My relationships were never considered fully legitimate. People assumed that I could only be playing around and certainly not making a serious life choice.

posted by maggie at 11:03 PM VOTE

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home