Seriously. I do.

With the excitement surrounding the ruling by the Supreme Court made recently to legalize marriage equality, I can't help but think about the other couples out there who struggle to find acceptance in today's society.It tooklong for same-sex couples to legally wed each other, so how long is it going to take for other types of relationships to be widely accepted? Will they ever get there at all?Take for instance, Polyamory. I have only recently learned this term from friends of mine who identify as being in a Polyamorous relationship. What this means is, while they love one another dearly and will soon be married, they also believe in loving more than one person at the same time, and would persue a relationship with another person (or persons) if they each felt it was right. The relationship dynamic varies from couple to couple, but it could mean that the husband has a girlfriend while the wife has a boyfriend, or the husband and wife could share a boyfriend or girlfriend (depending on their sexual identities). Through researching this lately, I am finding that many couples are involved in a triad. This means that a couple shares a relationship with one other person, making either the man or woman "bi-sexual," although MOST of the time the, couples seem to share a girlfriend. (I am putting "bi-sexual" in quotes because some people are not fans of labeling their sexuality, and I whole-heartedly respect that). There's a vast amount of terms and things to know about these types of relationships. If interested,you can find a lot of definitions here: https://www.morethantwo.com/polyglossary.htmlAs someone who has always considered the possibility of loving more than one person at the same time (because I am positive that I have), I find this all extremely fascinating. Also, I have possessed an interest in human sexuality for as long as I can remember, and have watched many episodes of shows like "Real Sex." I didn't watch these shows because I'm "perverted,"(Ok, I'm a little perverted), but because I am genuinely curious. I'm curious about what makes people tick. I'm curious about lifestyles. But mostly, I want to be educated now more than ever, as I am constantly meeting new friends.Aside from this, I have had quite the year of self-discovery, and while I am not quite at the level of comfort to disclose anything sexual or relationship-related about myself at this juncture, I will say that my eyes have been opened. What I believe is, if a couple loves one another and they're both open to share that love with others, why not? It's not in the Bible? It's not traditional?Like same-sex marriages, this is something that is considered to be so taboo, but I'm finding through research (mainly on the social media front) that there are more people in the Poly community than I would have ever fathomed. It's very apparent, and seemingly, becoming a more prevalent term. I have been reading through posts/threads in a private Poly group on Facebook that I was added to, and have found that people in these types of relationships live all over the world.I'm sure you're thinking, "Well, duh, Lauralie, you say that as though you are shocked."I'm stating this as though I am shocked because frankly, I kind of am. Either I've been living under some sort of traditonal, monogomystic sex rock, or this lifestyle hasn't been talked about enough. I'm thinking it's the latter. I know I have heard about these types of relationships before. I mean, it's not new. I just never processed the term, or what it truly meant. Through my readings, I have learned that the term was officially coined in an article published in a magazine around 1990. The concept, however, goes back much further. I won't get into all of that, as I am still reading and learning myself, but another blog site can tell you a little about the history: http://www.alternet.org/sex-amp-relationships/10-surprising-times-history-when-polyamory-was-acceptable.The people who have made posts about their personal lives in the Poly Facebook group are all so friendly and supportive of one another. Some of them share their family photos and are raising children within triads. Their families are beautiful, just like any other "normal" family. They all love each other, share the domestic responsibilites, and take care of one another--just like a "normal" family. So why can't they be recognized and accepted as being "normal?"My purpose of making this post is to (hopefully) urge the close-minded to dig a little deeper and maybe educate themselves. Please wake up and realize that we are living in a modernized world ruled not only by technology, but also the non-traditional (in pretty much all aspects).For all you know, your best friend could secretly be in a Polyamorous relationship, (or any number of other types of relationships that are shunned and deemed as being unacceptable). Some of these couples remain secretive out of fear of losing friends and family. Hang in there, "others," your time will come eventually.For now, relish in the fact that your sexual identity is YOURS. The relationship, marriage, triad, quad--whatever you're in--is YOURS. Be proud of who you are, who you love, and how you love. Doesn't this world need more of that love-stuff, anyway? This blog is mainly opinion-based, but I'm fairly certain that's a fact.If you're in the type of relationship YOU want and everything is copesthetic, then rejoice! Hallelujah! At least someone has found happiness in this crazy-mixed up game of Life.