Toward a Genealogy of a Discourse on Women’s Erotic Autonomy: Feminist and Queer-Feminist Critiques of Monogamy

Family and consensual non‐monogamy: Parents' perceptions of benefits and challenges

“…Many parents in this study believed that the philosophy behind CNM encouraged individuals to deconstruct internalized sexual double standards and renegotiate gendered power dynamics affecting (heterosexual) sexuality, a finding that resonates with previous studies (Aguilar, 2013;Ritchie & Barker, 2007;Sheff, 2005). Similar to Klesse (2018) who noted that women practicing CNM commonly present erotic autonomy as a reason for rejecting monogamy, many women (and men) in this study talked about CNM as encouraging women to think of themselves as sexual subjects entitled to express their sexual desires and seek sexual pleasure. CNM was commonly depicted as based on feminist values of equality, consent, and respect, therefore contributing to a safer sexual environment for women interested in men.…”

“…Indeed, marriage has been described by many second wave feminist writers, such as Wittig (1980) and Comer (1974), as an institution that reinforced the exploitation of women by granting men rights to a woman's sexual, reproductive, and domestic services. From a feminist perspective, monogamy—and its control tool, jealousy—can be perceived as increasing women's emotional and financial dependence on men, and separating women from friendships, communities, and networks (Jackson & Scott, 2004; Klesse, 2018). With that in mind, many feminist authors conceived of CNM as a subversive practice that can potentially destabilize patriarchy, and facilitate egalitarian gender dynamics in intimate relationships (Jackson & Scott, 2004; Munson & Steboum, 1999; Ritchie & Barker, 2007; Robinson, 1997).…”

"Storming then Performing": Historical Non-Monogamy and Metamour Collaboration

“…The "freedom" that is created through these forms of non-monogamy-often an intentional and explicitly political type of freedom, and with a mind toward an intentionally anti-normative sexual politics-is not an individualist autonomy but one that is created relationally, with others. Other authors, such as Klesse (2018) and Passet (2003), have expanded on these ideas throughout the feminist movement and in Victorian contexts respectively.…”

Queering singlehood: Examining the intersection of sexuality and relationship status from a queer lens

“…Poly relationships can include polyamorous couples and families, polycules (chosen family networks), polyaffective relationships (non-sexual but emotionally intimate), solo poly (maintaining agency and non-hierarchical relationships), and additional relationship structures that challenge mononormativity (Pallotta-Chiarolli et al, 2020;Sheff, 2013;Vaughan & Burnes, 2022). Thus, open relationships and poly relationships, however, they are structured, can blur the lines between marriage/singlehood, queering family, and queering monogamy (Acosta, 2018;Allen & Mendez, 2018;Klesse, 2018;Klesse et al, 2022;Schippers, 2016Schippers, , 2019.…”