polygamous marriages, many people

in polyamorous relationships face
consequences. Those in long-term
polyamorous relationships often

cannot receive the legal benefits that a
monogamously married or common-law
couple can. Some situations involve two
partners getting married, which can make
other partners feel emotionally and legally
isolated—especially if the relationship is
not a polycule. Additionally, if something
happened to a partner, such as illness or
death, only one of their partners can gain
legal control or benefit of the situation.

Should a person try to marry
multiple people, it can have severe legal
consequences. Bigamy, the act of entering
into a marriage while already being legally
married to someone else, is considered
a criminal offence in most developed
countries. Those who are accused of bigamy
in Canada—according to Section 291 in
the Criminal Code of Canada—may face
imprisonment of up to five years. In other
countries, the punishment for bigamy
varies from fines to imprisonment. In these
situations, the second marriage is usually
voided.

Legal problems for those in
polyamorous relationships grow even more
complicated if any of the partnerships result
in children. A child born or adopted into a
polyamorous family may receive equal care
and support from all members involved,
whether or not they were biologically
parented by them. According to family law,
a child can only have up to two guardians,
which can make issues such as parental
consent or travel problematic.

Visibility of polyamorous relationships
has improved in recent years, and is
becoming less stigmatized by society as a
whole. Social media and dating sites allow
users to identify as a person in an open
relationship and to openly identify their
different partners. Resources have begun to
open for those who identify as polyamorous;
including a Vancouver based organization
by the name of Vanpoly, which hosts
forums and events with a goal of increasing
visibility and decreasing stigmas associated
with polyamory.

With same-sex marriage becoming
increasingly legalized and recognized
throughout the world, many have begun
looking towards polygamy as the next
breakthrough in marriage equality. It is
interesting and hopeful to see if and how
both polyamory and polygamy will be
addressed in the next decade or so.