What is a throuple?
Throuples can be just ascommitted to one anotheras couples, despite lacking legal frameworks to recognize their relationships.
(This article will use the terms interchangeably.)
Throuple vs. polyamory vs. open relationship.
All three terms are subsets ofethical non-monogamy.
Anopen relationshipis a relationship in which a romantically bonded couple (or throuple!)
decide to have sex with people outside of their relationshipusually without forming long-lasting emotional bonds or commitment.
(Here’show to ask your partner for an open relationshipif that’s sparking some curiosity.)
What are the “rules” in a throuple relationship?
“There are no specific ‘rules’ that all triads follow,” Schneider says.
There are various options that might be in play, Schneider says.
V relationships.
A visual representation of it is simply the letter ‘V,'" explains Schneider.
The way in which the people in a V relationship relate to one another differs from relationship to relationship.
“I’ve seen many configurations of V dynamics in my work, and they all look different.
There’s a broad spectrum of how closely all parties involved in Vs relate.
Sometimes the metamours (people with a shared partner) are dear friends, housemates, and/or co-parents.
Sometimes they prefer not to know one another at all,” says Dow.
Sleeping with people outside the triad.
It might be perfectly fine for the throuple members to seek out love or sex outside of the triad.
Or it might be counted as cheating for some throuples.
It all depends on the mutually agreed-upon rules that govern a particular relationship.
Sleeping arrangements.
“We humans are each one-of-a-kind creatures.
One of my partners is especially sensitive to sensory input and prefers sleeping alone.
If he and I were in a triad relationship, he would still prefer to sleep alone.”
What’s most important is that the arrangement takes into account each individual’s needs.
Date nights.
There are no hard-and-fast rules.
“Rules are useful in dynamics with power differentials, like parenting.
What is a unicorn in a throuple?
No, not a mythical horse but rumored to be just as hard to find.
Are throuples legal?
However, there are small signs of progress.
What about jealousy?
A common misconception about polyamorous people is that they don’t get jealous.
In fact, jealousy is a feeling that pops up for just about everyone at some time or another.
The unique challenges of being in a throuple.
Depending on the origins of the throuple, there might be insecurities at play.
In these cases, a lack of communication and clarity can have calamitous results for the relationship.
The problems that throuples face aren’t just internal but structural as well.
This society-sanctioned dismissal of triads can lead to personal friction.
“Because dyadic partnerships are the norm, couples get a good bit of privilege in society.
How to know if a throuple is right for you.
Knowing that a triad is the right fit for you is a little complicated.
After all, you never know until you try.
Building a triad takes vulnerability and communication; it’s not just an excuse tohave a threesome.
A triad is “one of the most complex poly relationships that exists,” saysBeth Bloomfield-Fox, LPC.
