By Gabriela Antezana
How did this phenomenon start?
The construction of sexuality plays a big role in the role that polyamory plays in society. In the article The Social Construction of Sexuality by Steven Seidman, there is a clear explanation of how sexuality is a learned way of thinking and being (Seidman 2015). Thus the social construction creates the way people are in the poly community. It seems that in recent years polyamory has been getting the spotlight through media. Polyamory before it became a part if media was seen as a taboo subject that worked against society and its morals. Many television social media platforms, shows, movies, and media coverages have opened their arms to the idea of polyamory. Before polyamory became an outlet on media, many books, reports, and stories opened this idea to the public. The book Sex at Dawn became a landmark and accomplishment for the polyamorous community because of their insight and education upon the subject. Having multiple partners was a common acceptance before the social construction of monogamy (Ryan and Jethá, 2010). This publication opened many doors for platforms to explore this idea further. In a 2009 Newsweek article about polyamory, Jessica Bennet goes in depth of how polyamory has become the new norm within the walls of society. Though many still see it as a kink or way out of monogamy, people who have an “old school” mindset should shift their perspective on what is the norm.
Can Polyamory Get Butchered Through Media?
The misrepresentation of polyamory in media can lead people into perceiving it as something it is not. An example of an inaccurate representation of polyamory that startled the media was the show She’s Gotta Have It, illustrates a woman that has no real feelings for the people she is in a relationship with. In a 2017 article by The Root, it is explained how the main character in this show seems to be selfish and not caring in which is the opposite of how people in a polyamorous relationship are. These representations through media outlets bring negative connotations to the polygamous community further oppressing them and alienating them from society.
In a piece posted by Loving More in 2014, highlighted that polyamory is often misunderstood by the people who are involved in how the dynamics of the lifestyle actually work.
How is the representation of polyamory in media positive?
Our society’s idea of what a perfect relationship is has been shifting to more of an untraditional way recently. With the depiction of polyamory in television shows and movies, it spreads awareness that having a relationship with more than one person is ethical and normals, as long as it is consensual. For example the show You Me Her, depicts a married couple that has a relationship with another woman. They explicitly show the healthy ways that polyamory can be expressed and help one find themselves while loving more than just one person. Social media in recent years has become a very big platform in which people feel they can express themselves. Youtube, Instagram, and other platforms give the freedom to people to explore themselves and learn more about what it means to be poly. If presented correctly, the representation of polyamory in media can introduce this lifestyle to someone that is unsure or confused about what they are looking for romantically. It provides an outlet to witness and learn of this topic in ways that were not possible before.
Breaking Relationship Norms 