I did an interview for the new Sunday Life magazine a few months ago and the resulting article was published yesterday! It’s called ‘The New Romantics’. Apart from me 3 other people were interviewed too. My photo and real name are in there, as well as a very short snapshot of my poly life. Two poly friends are also in their with a photo. I guess I’m completely out to the world now! Makes me happy 🙂

The cover article is on Tilda Swinton who is now the celebrity posterchild for polyamory and I guess it’s a good middlebrow journalistic device to pull in readers through the story of someone famous. Then in the second half there’s a positive, if curt, discussion of how poly plays out in our lives. It seems that a lot of progressive commentary and deeper engagement with poly issues were cut, but what made it into the article is still very good and honest.

There seems to be a modest unstated family orientation and de-emphesising of sex, though it’s not covered up which is good. I guess the selling point to mainstream audiences is that poly can fit in with traditional family structures, it’s not such a radical ideal. Well I agree and disagree with this, but you can’t have it all! This is still one of the first Australian poly articles that went into a high circulation paper, which is an achievement that deserves celebration!

I believe in contributing to the shaping of our own world through systematic everyday small acts and this is one of them for me. What I’d like to achieve is a broader acceptance and knowledge of polyamory as an alternative way of living and loving. I wanted to reach out to people who are living through their monogamous struggle. As I know from experience these can wreak so much havoc in the lives of those who are simply not suited for this kind of arrangement, who want to and can love more than one person at a time. I also wanted to reach out to professionals who are not familiar with poly so that in the future people with multiple partners don’t have to struggle against stigma, misunderstanding, prejudice and ignorance in professional settings: with doctors, lawyers, counselors, accountants, psychiatrists and so on.

If this article achieved a little bit towards these aims than I’m happy. I truly hope that poly got a bit more exposure through this. I don’t have custody of children or a job to lose over this so I was in a good position to come out, be proud and spread progressive ideas. I’ve done it for my friends and lovers too who couldn’t or didn’t want to stand up and be counted.

Thanks goes to my friends and lovers who are so supportive and loving! I love my tribe and I’m proud of you.

I scanned in the article and Craig’s hosting it HERE

Since the article I got so many wonderful reactions and feedback, and just one really negative one… it’s wonderful to have contributed to a wider discussion this way!

And now it’s included in ‘Poly in the media’ too 😀
Publicity breakout in Australia!