Among consenting adults, family should be a matter of choice and the configuration thereof should be the choice of the family members. Yet, as more and more men and women throw off social constraints in search of happiness, there are few resources to help inform and guide their search. Whether one chooses polygyny, polyandry, or polyamory, basic information and ideas on various states of polygamy are lacking. This book seeks to be a primer for those wishing to learn and grow in these various forms of marriage.
At the writing of this book, according to several sources, there are between 50,000 and 100,000 families in the U.S. living in polygamy (polygyny) today. The number of people living in some form of polygamy in the U.S. was estimated at only 30,000 just five years ago. The numbers for polygyny (one man, multiple women) alone have begun to climb rapidly.
Polygamy: The act of having more than one spouse. A husband having more than one wife or wife having more than one husband is called polygamy. This is a general term, which has come to mean the same as polygyny, which is a more specific term.
Polygyny: When a man has multiple simultaneous wives, the state is specifically called polygyny. You will also hear the term, “Plural Marriage” or “Celestial Marriage” used by the FLDS church when one husband has several wives.
Polyandry: When a woman has multiple simultaneous husbands it is specifically called polyandry.
Polyamory: Group marriage, where the family unit consists of multiple husbands and multiple wives, is specifically called polyamory.
Historically, all three practices have been found, but polygyny, the marriage or commitment between one man and several women, is by far the most common.
In the past, polygamy was propagated by the vehicles of religion, politics, and culture, but today it is fueled by the heart’s desire.
At the writing of this book, according to several sources, there are between 50,000 and 100,000 families in the U.S. living in polygamy (polygyny) today. The number of people living in some form of polygamy in the U.S. was estimated at only 30,000 just five years ago. The numbers for polygyny (one man, multiple women) alone have begun to climb rapidly.
Polygamy: The act of having more than one spouse. A husband having more than one wife or wife having more than one husband is called polygamy. This is a general term, which has come to mean the same as polygyny, which is a more specific term.
Polygyny: When a man has multiple simultaneous wives, the state is specifically called polygyny. You will also hear the term, “Plural Marriage” or “Celestial Marriage” used by the FLDS church when one husband has several wives.
Polyandry: When a woman has multiple simultaneous husbands it is specifically called polyandry.
Polyamory: Group marriage, where the family unit consists of multiple husbands and multiple wives, is specifically called polyamory.
Historically, all three practices have been found, but polygyny, the marriage or commitment between one man and several women, is by far the most common.
In the past, polygamy was propagated by the vehicles of religion, politics, and culture, but today it is fueled by the heart’s desire.
