What is your stance on polygamous marriages?

People can do pretty much what they want as far as I am concerned.
But that seems like a contradiction in terms.

Do not care, but isn’t it illegal in most places?

And listen, I love my wife to pieces — but TWO ?!?!?

I have nothing against polyamory per se, as long as all participants are consenting adults. However, it seems to me that laws against polygamy are one way of keeping tabs on communities in which child marriages and cult-style brainwashing are a concern… to that extent, I’m content to keep it illegal. But it’s not something I feel strongly about.

I don’t have one. Live and let live.

I don’t really have one. I know a woman who keeps two first mates on her first-class vessel, a Pearson 53 footer like this. They cruise as a threesome and are quite popular at the regattas and raft-ups. They are planning a circumnavigation together, so I assume all is going well for them. She’s the captain-owner and clearly in charge like all good captains, and the two guys are excellent crew. They are borrowed a lot for racing.

Personally, one SO is more than enough for me.

I am not religious, and my views on marriage are that it is a social contract with societal and economic benefits and responsibilities.

I am not opposed to plural marriages; however, there would have to be some minor differences.

For instance: it could become very ugly if a person with two spouses ended up in a medical emergency, and the spouses disagreed as to the course of action that should be taken. So, a primary power of attorney would have to be chosen.

In the case of divorce, child custody and support could be dicey. Would the non-genetic parent(s) be entitled to custody and responsible for paying support?

Not that these are reasons to disallow the practice. I support the rights of consenting adults to willingly enter into whatever contact they so choose. Stuff would just have to be worked out ahead of time.

Horses for courses, but not for me.

It should be decriminalized. It’s stupid. 7 adults can live together, make babies, and it’s not illegal. If they want to be married then they can go to jail. What sense does that make? However, I’m not sure I’m in favor of rewriting law that would specify legal protection for multiple spouses regarding everything from inheritance to all the other things marriage gives you.

If men can have multiple wive’s then women can have multiple husband’s. The middle east royalty can have a heram . Does it work for them?

Actually, JLeslie, premarital cohabitation can be fined $500 and cost you 60 days in jail, in Florida.

If it’s what consenting adults want, I couldn’t care less. It’s not my right to tell people they can’t love more than one person. Or get married for whatever reason.

@Seek

A law which, if challenged, would, no doubt, not stand up in the face of the Lawrence v Texas decision. In fact similar laws have been struck down in North Carolina and Virginia on that basis.

You do know the penalty for bigamy, don’t you?

ʍɐן-uı-sɹǝɥʇoɯ oʍʇ

Your bedroom.. Not my problem..

</socialist>

I am okay with polyamory if it can be worked out. But it is not very easy. And there cannot be any coercion.

Polygamous marriage as it stands today in parts of the US is abusive, and not free of coercion. That I am against.

The only issue I see with it however, is how to distribute legal marriage rights and how divorces would be handled.

I see a difference between polyamory and polygamy. It may be a thin strand of difference, and probably more on the legal side than anyone else.

I don’t see a rational reason to be against it. It is not MY cup of tea, but it may be yours. Most of the prohibitions against it are religion based (although polygamy was certainly found in the bible). And religiously based prohibitions tend to be questionable. (homosexuality, gay marriage, etc.)

@NerdyKeith – the legal side of things is an issue, but surmountable. It’s basic contract law with three parties to a contract.

I like my relationships like I like my golf, one hole at a time.

@ucme lol well said

I’m with @cookieman and @Espiritus_Corvus
Whatever floats your boat but I prefer a boat for two not 20.
Intimacy and relationship is challenging enough one one one, let alone with multiples. Kinda like taking a group communication class, just more people to misunderstand you. haha

There are states where it is not only illegal but husbands don’t support wives and children. The taxpayers do. Not cool for taxpayers.

@si3tech: I was looking at it from that standpoint, too.

Thinking about the legal, which above I said I wasn’t sure I would want the government to address, I would say if the government delved into protecting multiple spouses, I would say first of all, all current spouses must sign the marriage certificate for any new people joining the marriage.

Why any man would want two or three (or more) women all yelling at you to mow the lawn, when all you want to do in that moment is watch the game, is beyond me.

It might be multiple men. Or, multiple men and women. Like a commune marriage.

I don’t care what the pundits say, it makes no difference anyway, whatever that is, I’m against it!

@NerdyKeith No stance here unless they’re on welfare.