Compersion

Compersion (noun) – The state of being happy for another person’s happiness. Often used to describe being happy at seeing one’s romantic partner experiencing happiness with other partners.

Example

Chris and Dotty are romantic partners. Dotty is also romantically involved with Stan. Chris feels compersion when he sees how happy Dotty is with Stan.

Further Reading

Couple Privilege

Couple Privilege is the advantage a two person partnership has. It is a priority that is given to a couple over other relationships. Often this is manifested in society when the couple is open to the world about their own relationship, but not other relationships. It is often seen when an invitation is made with a +1 and it is assumed the known partner is will be the +1.

Further Reading

Poly For Us article: What is Couple Privilege?

Don’t Ask Don’t Tell

A relationship style, in which the participants agree to non-monogamy, but do not want to know the details, or perhaps even the existence of, their partner’s other romantic or sexual relationships.

Example

Bill and Ted are married and have a don’t ask don’t tell relationship. Ted doesn’t know that Bill is also dating Rufus. This doesn’t violate their don’t ask don’t tell relationship agreement.

Ethical Non-Monogamy

Ethical Non-Monogamy (ENM) is a consensually agreed upon relationship structure that allows those involved to engage with more than one partner, romantically, sexually, or emotionally. People negotiate and agree to the terms of their non-monogamous relationship. There are several types of ethical non-monogamy including open relationship, swinging, monogamish, polyamory, polygamy, and relationship anarchy.

Further Reading