Polyamorous Parenthood: Kinship, Gender and Morality

Research on polyamorous parenthood has mainly focused on aspects of interactions with schools and authorities, where polyamorous parents have had to develop strategies of openness and concealment and dealing with stigmatization (Palotta-Chiarolla 2010; Riggs 2010; Sheff 2010). Aspects of sex and morality have primarily been explored in general in relation to non-monogamous practice and not specifically in relation to parenthood (Ritchie 2010; Samuels 2010). Based on interviews with 22 persons in Sweden who in different ways have experience of non-monogamous practice, we explore polyamorous parenthood, focusing on kinship practices, gender and sexual morality. The results of these analyses show that there are recurring themes of promiscuity as a risk that polyamorous parents have to handle. This can take the form of negative interactions with family members and society, practical issues with having sex with several partners or identity issues where good parenthood risks being at odds with non-monogamous practices. The boundaries of good parenthood and promiscuity and the negotiations between them are rarely highlighted in research, but have implications for the moral order of kinship for non-monogamous practice today.