Solo polyamory: The modern woman’s rebellion against traditional dating norms

While polyamory is still finding its feet in the turbulent terrains of India’s traditional and society-bound structures of family and marriage, solo polyamory has reared its head like a rebellious outgrowth, hell bent on letting women carve out a space for their emotional and physical needs without compromising, without living on anyone else’s terms.

But what exactly is solo polyamory, and how does it fare against the traditional systems in place? Indianexpress.com learnt more from a counselling psychologist.

“Solo polyamory is when you are in a relationship with multiple partners but not committing to anyone or having a primary partner. It could be due to multiple reasons like not sharing finances, responsibilities etc,” Juhi Pandey, psychologist at MPower, Aditya Birla Education Trust, said.

Not everyone is meant for monogamous relationships. (Source: Freepik)

Why are people hopping on this relationship trend?

According to Pandey, there’s a mix of factors. “It gives an easy way for people to romance or have physical needs fulfilled without making any commitments. It makes people not abide by the societal norm of being in monogamy,” she said.

However, Pandey warned that this trend can be particularly taxing for people who prefer deep connections. “If a person has multiple partners it is difficult to balance everyone’s needs and wants. Multiple partners always carry a risk of having sexually transmitted diseases. It can also bring social stigma or challenge from family and friends in understanding this kind of lifestyle,” she said.