Virginia Colfer Merriman attributes the success of her polyamorous relationships to being self-aware. Picture: Patrick Browne. There is a default way in which the Western world structures romantic relationships. Being romantically involved with one person at a time, a practice more commonly known as monogamy, is the accepted dynamic in which romantic relationships exist — and couples who deviate away from this can be criticised, vilified, and in extreme cases, ostracised by their peers.
The award-winning White Lotus also made it a talking point. Wexford woman Virginia Merriman 33 met her husband in college ten years ago. The year-old attributes the success of her polyamorous relationships to being self-aware. So it just kind of gradually evolved from there and matured into an open relationship. The homemaker who describes an open relationship as one where people can share their bodies, and a poly relationship as one where people can share their hearts, says that the relationship between her and her husband evolved into polyamory when they both developed feelings for the same woman.
Merriman and her husband had a young family at the time, and juggling parenthood with a relationship that was in the infancy of a triad meant date nights between the three involved staying in or casual walks. A lot of the time she [the secondary partner] would come over, we would do movie night at our house, and sometimes we went out for walks on the beach together. She has been dating someone for the last six months while being in a year marriage, and her husband is also seeing someone.
However, she says she is forthright about the consensual behaviour that takes place outside the marriage. The best food, health, entertainment and lifestyle content from the Irish Examiner, direct to your inbox. Sign in My Account Sign out. Is polyamory having a moment? Read More. The It List: 10 stylish things on our wish list this season. In pictures: Here's what the guests at ieStyle Live wore at the glam event.
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