Polyamory / History
THIRD WAVE/ IMPACT OF THE INTERNET alternative sexual styles such as polyamory have increased with the advent of Internet technology, which facilitates communication between geographically disparate people seeking support for alternative relationships. In recent years, the Internet has proved an especially important site for community building among marginalized populations. Sexual non-conformists have populated the Internet in droves, forming personal and sexual connections online. The impact of the worldwide web on the polyamorous community would be difficult to overstate. From dating, to discussing jealousy, to asking for advice, much polyamorous relating occurs “online.” The extensive network of Internet communication spawned an impressive number of polyamorous websites, some of which I list at the end of this piece.
It includes not only a bulletin board, but also a chat room, frequently asked questions (FAQ), stories, advice, events, “the love list” (a summary of conversations that transpired on the electronic discussion board that was emailed to list subscribers), and personal ads for those seeking others to engage in polyamorous relationships.
Polyamorists also linked to other related, but not explicitly polyamorous, websites. Janesguide.com, a guide to alternative sexoriented sites on the web, is a favorite among web-savvy polyamorists, as is LiveJournal. com – a free site that allows writers to create journals online and choose to make their writing available to select others or to anyone visiting the site. LiveJournal lists over 100 relevant “community” matches, and over 1300 users interested in polyamory. Sites that contain information about swinging In addition to providing polys with a may overlap with polyamorous sites, and the convenient way to create community, communities share personal ads at http:// give each other advice, and find partners, www.altdot.com. The polyamorous presence the Internet has also significantly on the web is diverse, and serves as a vital impacted how polys interact with other component of community and participation. sexual minorities. Specifically, polyamorists intersect significantly with bisexuals and This new wave of resources to the community kinksters, or people who practice BDSM exploded the movment back into the spot light (formerly known as sadomasochism), and and with people looking for ways to become overlap with both groups online and in more modern people are experimenting, person. developing new ideals. Evolved relationships are sprouting into all different scenarios all Polyamorous Websites that matters is what works best for you. While polyamorous websites are too numerous to adequately list here, I have included some of the more important ones as examples of online community. Lovemore. com is Loving More magazine’s website.
