Quiet Introduction
Welcome to my webpage for those who are polyamorous and poly-curious.
I owe much of my introduction to
polyamory
to a great panel discussion on polyamory that occured years ago at
Orycon 18, and the
cool poly folks that were at it. (But there are of course other ways to find out about polyamory.) Some of the same crowd will redescend on
Orycon 26 this November
5th through 7th, and will no doubt also be looking for the nearest
Heather Alexander concert.
For those who are interested in knowing more about me, I also have a
more official front room and a group of
semi-random, semi-related thoughts
and links (that has not been seriously updated in what feels like forever). Neither of these constitute a well-rounded outline of my personality, either explicitly or by implication. :-) :-) :p :-) You are hereby warned.
Here are a few more data points about my interests:
- Ecotopia --------- Salmon Nation
- I feel a strong sense of connection to the Pacific Northwest. My strongest allegiance is to Oregon (and to Portland and Eugene specifically), but I feel a kinship that stretches, in one form or another, all the way from Fairbanks, Alaska to San Francisco, California --- both towns that I have been in within the past six years. And what an eclectic bunch we are, from the Alaskan taxicabs with an entire set of antlers mounted on top, to the non-accidental fact that The Ethical Slut came out of Northern California, instead of, say, Iowa.
Many others share with me this sense of place. From Native American beliefs and practices dating back centuries, through the decades-old concept of Ecotopia, to the new notion of Salmon Nation, people here on the Rainforest Coast have felt ties to the land, and wanted to protect its ecology and cherish all the aspects of life it makes possible.
Oregon has its own lovable quirks, including many on the political front. Not only are we as close as it gets to being "Nader country" according to a Portland newspaper, but Corvallis gave rise to Project Vote Smart, and Portland is also the town that birthed Real People for Real Change. (The Oregonian reported a few years ago that, while walking through Powell's bookstore, Nader said "This is what civilization should look like.")
- Polyamory, Openness and Politics
- I came across an article from October 1998 that shows a fair-minded (in my opinion) outsider's journalistic take on polyamory. Also, here's a presentation of polyamory to therapists.
- What could one envision for a polyamorous household?
- Many many things, of course --- as many different answers as there are people. I have several strong feelings on this subject, and they have shifted over time. One possible vision, which contains many elements that I like, can be found in the following piece of erotic fiction (not written by me). WARNING to those clicking on this link: there are graphic depictions of sexuality (good ones, in my opinion) in this story, titled "Triad".
- Body Image
- I have a concern, which many people I know share: the unhealthiness of the messages sent out by mainstream society about nudity, body modesty, and what women's bodies in particular should look like. Some days, simply stating that all the supermodels are just too uniformly thin --- and are propagating dangerous values to their audience --- appears as radical as, well, polyamory. Luckily, I am not alone in my sentiments. I used to link here to a Website that spoke of similar views, called The Body Objective. However, it has now shut down. The next best thing is the clear joy displayed by the women at www.helloluscious.com.
- Polyamory Symbols
- I have decided to compile a list of poly
symbols; not that there were not already
pages out there devoted to
this subject, but they never seemed to have all the ones that I
had run across. I am very interested in poly symbols, and
symbols in general;
I posted a letter to a polyamory mailing list on
the subject.
- Some Rooms of One's Own
- I have begun working on a kind of virtual house that guests can visit. Well, there is more to it than that --- it's an art project, of sorts. Maybe a statement of mood. Actually, in an odd way, it is an extension of community. Except that it is more like a collection of puzzles and parables.
Perhaps it would be best if you just visited it for yourself, starting with some introductory technicalities.
What's it all about? Who knows?
This Website was
, a great computer.
(Last updated 7/30/02004)