Chris's article

Poly relationships are just as likely to experience problems compared to monogamous ones, but the former creates unique circumstances that allow one or multiple people in the relationship to manipulate others.

To clarify, an abusive relationship is one where the perpetrator intends to harm the other person/people in the relationship. On the other hand, a toxic relationship may be where the perpetrator does not necessarily act with malice, although their behavior is still often harmful. In short, all abusive behavior is toxic, but not vice versa.

Nevertheless, whether it’s physical, psychological, or verbal, both abusive and toxic behavior should not be tolerated.

Let’s dissect some common toxic behaviors that may crop up in your relationship with a sister wife or husband.

1. They stop you from forming relationships with other people in the polycule

In some cases, toxic behavior is abusive. When a person in the relationship assumes the lead position (or dictator title, really), then it might be a good idea to step back and reassess the situation.

For instance, consider a married man and woman who decide together that they want an open relationship. They bring in another man, and the wife forms an intimate relationship with him immediately. However, she forbids her husband from interacting with this second man at all.

In another example, a married man dates multiple women and brings them home occasionally. His nesting partner wants to be friendly--at the very least--with these women, but he gets angry or downright violent if she attempts to make contact. 

In these instances, the toxicity goes beyond inconvenience and is bordering on emotional abuse. Abusers often want to isolate their partners, and in poly relationships, it can be easy for the perpetrator to inflict harm because these types of arrangements are not conventional.

A unique circumstance in a poly relationship is the use of veto power (or the power of someone in the relationship to reject a potential partner). Ideally, it’s granted to everyone in the relationship, but toxic people will seize total control.

This imbalance tilts power dynamics in favor of one person, which always ends in hurt feelings--or worse, abusive relationships.

2. They make all the decisions in the relationship/household

Similarly, a toxic person might assume control over other matters in the household, whether it’s about children or a financial matter. We’re not talking about an arrangement where everyone in the polycule relies on a sole breadmaker or decisionmaker, which is common in polygamous households.

We’re talking about relationships where one person does not consult, negotiate, or discuss anything with anyone else. The sole intention is to consolidate power so the other person (or people) remains completely powerless.

When the submissive partners in the relationship have no say, they might spiral into insecurity, dependence, and hopelessness. This stripping of power and autonomy is a telltale sign of a toxic and abusive person.

3. They dismiss your feelings and don’t respect your boundaries

Gaslighting gets thrown around lightly, but it is a serious abuse tactic that inflicts psychological or emotional harm. It refers to any behavior that aims to dismiss, manipulate, or misconstrue another person’s feelings, memories, or judgment.

At first, gaslighting might seem like something your husband or sister wife does out of frustration or anger. Over time, you might recognize it as a way for them to control you while avoiding problems in your relationship.

It can be something as simple as your partner lying about their whereabouts to your partner blaming you for every issue that comes up. Poly relationships can be confusing to understand and challenging to navigate, especially when it comes to setting boundaries.

However, your partner(s) should always respect these boundaries--this is a sign of a healthy person and a healthy relationship. You should never apologize for your feelings, and you should never feel like you’re walking on eggshells every time you want to bring up something to your partner(s).

4. They justify their actions through jealousy

This point might fall under the previous one, but we’ve created a whole section for it because jealousy is such an innate part of poly relationships. Everyone (or almost everyone) will feel jealous at one point, whether it’s a union between three wives and a husband, two couples, or a married couple and another man.

It’s just human nature. Nevertheless, jealousy is not a valid excuse for toxic behavior. It’s not an excuse for snooping through your phone when you’re not in the room. It’s not an excuse for bombarding you with texts and calls when you’re out with a sister wife. It’s not an excuse for being the punching bag for their verbal hits and emotional outbursts.

Jealousy can be dealt with in many ways, but when left unchecked, it manifests as toxic behavior that threatens to sabotage your relationship. Couples who have just signed up to sister wife dating sites, especially, need to be wary of these feelings and learn how to manage them.

Once the new energy relationship dies down, couples might find jealousy bubbling under the lovey-dovey surface.

5. They demand privacy but don’t reciprocate this trust

An open relationship doesn’t mean you have to put all your cards on the table. In any throuple, quad, or polycule, you’re still your own person. You are always entitled to privacy when you ask for it, so this point might overlap a little bit with Number 3--respecting boundaries.

For example, you and your partner might have agreed to pursue other people in the relationship separately, and that’s fair. What’s not fair is if they conceal every detail about their metamour, but demand to know everything going on in your relationship(s).

Again we see an imbalance in the relationship.

How do I fix a toxic relationship with my sister wife or husband?

First, I’d like to revisit two core values I offer to people new to the poly world who are facing issues right off the bat: Question your assumptions and expectations about relationships and then adjust your expectations to discover the best relationship style for you and your partner(s).

When you establish healthy boundaries, you’re forced to analyze what assumptions might be holding you back. Is it expecting your partner’s absolute time and attention? Is it assuming that every person will be like your first polyamorous lover? Is it expecting to feel no jealousy at all when a new sister wife moves in?

Once you’ve decided what boundaries you need, then you can change your expectations about your current relationship. Adjust and modify as necessary. Making your needs known to your partner(s) is an essential part of a healthy union, and if your partner or metamour does not want to respect your needs, that’s a giant red flag.

If your partner refuses to talk to you every time you try to work things out, counseling or therapy might be the next step. An objective third party with experience in relationships might be able to provide a safe space where you can all feel comfortable tackling sensitive issues.

What if you’re still in the dating pool? We know all about catfishing and scammers online, so I recommend our guides on how to avoid getting catfished and how to recognize red flags on poly dating sites. If you know the signs to look out for, then it’s easier to remove yourself from a potentially toxic relationship immediately.

Published By: Christopher Alesich 

Matchmakers Inc: Sisterwives.com

Joining a sister wife dating website can be nerve-wracking. If your heart and mind are in it for the right reasons, the process is more likely to go smoothly. However, we are still human and can be pushed to make some questionable decisions.

I’ve covered a list of the seven common reasons why people join sister wives dating sites--the wrong reasons. Let’s go over them in detail.

You want to save the relationship by “spicing things up”

This is by far one of the most common reasons most people try polyamory and polygamy in general. When a monogamous relationship takes a rocky turn, one or both people in the relationship might think it a good idea to try polygamy or polyamory. This might be detrimental overall.

Resorting to finding a sister wife in a desperate attempt to bring excitement into the relationship is a sign that the partners want to avoid facing the actual problems in their union. This Band-Aid solution rarely works and highlights the importance of proper communication--monogamous relationship or not.

You just want to make your partner happy

In the same vein, if your partner wants to experiment, and you don’t want to jeopardize your relationship by objecting, then you might just be saying “Yes” for the sake of avoiding confrontation. It is a hard pill to swallow, but sometimes we are not compatible with our partners--whether we’ve been with them for one year or a decade.

If your partner is adamant about trying polyamory or finding a sister wife, and you know in your heart that you are a pure monogamist, then you must tell them. Holding onto uncomfortable feelings can lead to resentment down the road. This only means lost time on both ends.

You’re sexually unsatisfied in your current relationship

Polygamy and polyamory as a whole are oversexualized. The average reader might think about orgies, multiple sexual partners, and other X-rated images when the term polygamous relationship comes up. In fact, poly couples likely engage in the same sexual activities as monogamist couples do. 

Yes, group sex is a thing, and multiple partner arrangements exist, but media has demonized poly relationships on the sexual front. In reality, most poly relationships are calculated and are not full of risks.

If you or your partner wants to join sister wives dating sites for the sake of sexual satisfaction, then sister wives dating sites might not be for you. You might step back and think about what you need from your current partner and try out some possible solutions before expecting other people to provide the answer.

You expect relationships without full commitment

Poly relationships are portrayed as lax, indulgent, and casual. However, poly relationships (polygamous relationships, more specifically) are often committed. There’s no other way to be when you’re uniting multiple lives into a single thread.

While people might regard all poly relationships as uncommitted, this simply isn’t true. If you’re joining sister wives dating sites with this mindset, then you might be up for a rough wake-up call. Of course, not everyone is looking for something permanent and serious, but many people on sister wives dating sites are.

You want an excuse to be intimate with other people

Another common reason for people to join poly dating sites is to avoid the consequences of being intimate with others. This unhealthy reason helps give polyamory and polygamy a bad name because it ascribes a promiscuous attribute to consensual non-monogamy. In reality, people in poly relationships are meticulous about who they welcome into their lives and into their bedrooms.

Whether you’re a single person who wants to be with multiple people but balks at the idea of your partner being with someone else or a couple who finds the idea of a metamour thrilling, but in reality, crumble at the slightest sign of jealousy, the poly lifestyle should not be an excuse to experience extra-relationship intimacy minus the consequences.

You’re afraid of being alone

Moreover, you should not be on sister wives dating sites if you’re simply afraid of being alone. This rings true for anyone who doesn’t want to grow old alone and for any divorced person who thinks they’re increasing their odds of finding a relationship by trying the poly lifestyle.

You’re not only doing yourself a disservice by being honest with yourself, but you might be wasting your time, too. Most genuine polyamorists and polygamists can sniff out imposters a mile away.

You’re looking for extra financial help

Similarly, if you’re a divorced person with kids or a person who was not financially independent while in your previous relationship, don’t look to poly dating sites for an easy fix. Financial assistance is an immoral reason for turning to sister wives dating sites, and should only be considered a bonus when entering a poly relationship.

Misleading another person or people into a dishonest relationship cannot end well for anyone involved. Instead, ask for help where you can (friends, family, professional assistance), and work hard to get yourself where you need to be in good financial standing.

How do I know if a poly relationship is right for me?

There are many benefits to poly relationships, but these are not the reasons for joining one. Instead, ask yourself if you can handle the stressors in a poly relationship (namely jealousy and resource management), whether you want to enter a poly relationship or you feel pressured to do so, and why you want to be in a poly relationship.

If you can answer truthfully and are satisfied with your self-reflection, then it might be time to take the next step. Joining a poly dating site can feel intimidating, but it can also feel liberating. You’re a step closer to being your authentic self, and if you need clarification on the ever-growing list of poly terms, check out our poly terms and conditions article for the most recent insight.

Published By: Christopher Alesich 

Matchmakers Inc: Sisterwives.com

Polygamists face a wide variety of stereotypes and assumptions from society. In order to understand the poly lifestyle, it’s important to learn more about it. That includes facts about polygamy as well as learning what’s not true about it. 

This post contains the top things most people don’t know about all things polygamy. So whether you’re new to polygamy or just interested in learning more about it, read on!

1. U.S. Moral Acceptance of Polygamy Has Increased 400%

In 2003, Gallup - a global analytics firm - first included polygamy in its "moral acceptability" section of the Values and Beliefs poll. That year, approval of polygamy in the United States was 7 %. However in the year 2006, public opinion on polygamous marriage took a sharp downturn, and just 5% of the population could describe it as “morally acceptable.” 

Then, Big Love premiered on HBO, followed by TLC's Sister Wives in 2010. In 2011, approval jumped to 11% which led to some speculation that some people just needed something like a television series to help them better understand polygamy dating and kill any mental blocks they had toward the lifestyle. It has steadily increased since then, with the acceptance of polygamy hitting 20% in 2020. This means it’s increased by 400% in 15 years.

2. Kody Brown Helped Decriminalize Polygamy in Utah

Those familiar with the reality show Sister Wives were used to hearing about Kody Brown working to reform his family's roles and relationships, but were pleasantly surprised to see him working to reform legislation, too. After being investigated for bigamy by Utah prosecutors, polygamist Kody Brown protested Utah's laws against polygamy. Though he failed in his initial endeavor, he continued to advocate for legal reform since then.

Since then, Brown and his wives became the face of polygamy advocacy, pushing for the Utah legislation to be passed for several years. It even became a plot point on several episodes of Sister Wives. One example of their advocacy was their participation in the “March for Liberty” on February 10, 2017, in Salt Lake City, Utah, to change laws surrounding poly marriage. In March 2020, the governor of Utah signed Senate Bill 102 into law, which allows a person to have multiple, consenting spouses at the same time and not be subject to felony charges.

3. Polygamists Aren’t Always Mormon

Polygamy was outlawed in all United States territories in 1862. At the time, Mormons were the main group of people who practiced plural marriage as a result gained property dominance in the Utah Territory. Basically, polygamy was outlawed because the government felt the Mormon church had too much control over land in Utah. In order to gain ownership of their assets back, the Mormon church officially discontinued the practice of plural marriage by 1890. 

However, existing plural marriages weren’t dissolved and this portion of the Mormons broke away and became what we know today as Mormon Fundamentalists. Some of them also fled to Canada and Mexico, who eventually also outlawed polygamy. This explains why the assumption in North America is that all polygamists are Mormons or vice versa, but what many don’t realize is the fact that there is a strong divide between fundamentalists and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. So while Mormons may have originally introduced the lifestyle here, that was in the 1800s. Polygamy has since been modernized, so there are no requirements (other than all partners being consenting adults) to become a polygamist!

4. Polygamous Marriages Don’t Have a Hierarchy

In the early days of polygamy, being the first wife (or husband) in a polygamous marriage meant you had considerable authority and influence over every other spouse that was added to your husband's household. Though this isn’t the case today, a common misconception is that there’s a certain “ranking” for each sister wife. Sometimes people think the first wife gets all the perks, others think it’s the newest one. 

The truth is, there is no hierarchy in modern poly relationships. Just like a two-person marriage, it’s up to the people in the relationship to create their own dynamics. Each person may have their own role or area of responsibility, but it’s not decided based on how long they’ve been in the family.

5. There Are 2 Forms of Polygamy

Polygamy is usually associated soley with a man having sister wives. Though that’s the most common form of polygamy, it’s not the only one. In fact, there are three different polygamous lifestyles. 

The most-known sect of polygamy is polygyny, which is when a husband has multiple wives at the same time. The opposite of that is polyandry, where a woman has multiple husbands simultaneously.  Polyandry is much more rare than polygyny for a variety of reasons.

6. Cheating Exists in Polygamous Relationships

A common misconception is that polygamists and polyamorous people alike are essentially just enabling themselves to cheat on their partners. Or, in other words, that cheating doesn’t exist. We get it - when polygamists are ready to expand their family, they begin dating. However, poly dating is not as casual as monogamous dating is, as weird as that may sound. 

That’s because polygamists are dating to marry. While there’s of course a more casual beginning phase of going on a few dates and getting to know one another, if a polygamist can see the person they’re dating becoming their spouse and joining their family, they’ll progress toward that path quicker than “normal.” The other partners are aware of their spouse dating, though, and usually have boundaries set in place that everyone’s comfortable with. So if those boundaries are broken, it’s safe to say anyone - including a polygamist - would consider that cheating.

7. Polygamy Dating is More Convenient Than You Think

If you’re interested in finding a sister wife or otherwise becoming a polygamist, poly dating is not as out of reach as you may think. In fact, you can do it right from your phone! All you have to do is find the polygamy dating app or website for you.

At Sister Wives, we believe love is love and pride ourselves on giving people a way to find it. We also provide the tools and resources you need to learn more about polygamy dating and the poly community as a whole. Whatever stage of your journey you’re on, we’re here to help!

Published By: Christopher Alesich 

Matchmakers Inc: Sisterwives.com