In West Hollywood, a movement led by so-called “throuples” is gaining momentum as they advocate for an anti-discrimination law aimed at safeguarding polyamorous relationships.
The City Council of West Hollywood recently voted unanimously to progress a proposal that would allow legal recognition for partnerships involving multiple partners, as reported by the Los Angeles Times.
While the specifics of the registry are still being finalized, city officials have already given the green light to a new ordinance that includes “family or relationship structure” as a protected category under anti-discrimination laws.
Slated to take effect in mid-April, this measure seeks to protect individuals in polyamorous and other unconventional households from facing discrimination in areas such as housing, healthcare, and education.
Councilmember Chelsea Lee Byers, who introduced the measure, described these protections as “long overdue.” She emphasized that they are crucial, especially as rising costs and other pressures impact access to essential services.
In addition, the council has established a task force dedicated to exploring the logistics of implementing a multi-partner domestic partnership registry. The task force is expected to present its recommendations within the next six months.
If approved, the registry would allow more than two adults in a committed relationship to receive recognition similar to traditional domestic partnerships.
Christina Fialho, an attorney and founder of the bisexual media advocacy group Rewrite the BiLine, also spoke to the Times. Fialho introduced the idea of polyamory protections to Byers about a year ago.
“Cities are realizing families come in many forms and that they should protect, not police those relationships,” she said.
Librarian and WeHo resident Megan Katz, 51, said she has two children with her “nesting partner” and another partner with whom she does not live.
While she hasn’t experienced prejudice at work or in her neighborhood, she said she knows others who have, adding she fears her kids could be ostracized or face discrimination because of her arrangement.
“I do have some consternation,” Katz said. “Once you’re out, you can’t put that cat back in the bag. You can’t unring that bell.”
Some Massachusetts municipalities already recognize multi-partner domestic partnerships, and cities like Berkeley and Oakland have taken steps to ban discrimination based on family structure.
The idea isn’t without critics, who have raised concerns about the broader implications of recognizing polyamorous relationships, the outlet noted.
As Berkeley and Oakland prepared to pass their laws, the California Family Council, a conservative religious advocacy group, spoke out against them and described support for polyamorous relationships as “cultural suicide.”
