Relationship Bill of Rights
This work was originally published in the book More Than Two: A Practical Guide to Ethical Polyamory (Thorntree Press 2014) and was released into the public domain on January 12, 2023. The Relationship Bill of Rights is also available as a poster from Thornapple Press.
The Relationship Bill of Rights from More Than Two
You have the right, without shame, blame or guilt:
In all intimate relationships:
- to be free from coercion, violence and intimidation
- to choose the level of involvement and intimacy you want
- to revoke consent to any form of intimacy at any time
- to be told the truth
- to say no to requests
- to hold and express differing points of view
- to feel all your emotions
- to communicate your emotions and needs
- to set boundaries concerning your privacy needs
- to set clear limits on the obligations you will make
- to seek balance between what you give to the relationship and what is given back to you
- to know that your partner will work with you to resolve problems that arise
- to choose for yourself whether you want a relationship that is monogamous or not, and to seek partners who want the same things you do
- to have agreements respected, and to have the option of renegotiating agreements that are no longer working
- to grow and change
- to make mistakes
- to end a relationship
In non-monogamous relationships:
- to decide how many partners you want
- to choose your own partners
- to have an equal say with each of your partners in deciding the form your relationship with that partner will take
- to choose the level of time and investment you will offer to each partner
- to understand clearly any rules that will apply to your relationship before entering into it
- to discuss with your partners decisions that may affect you
- to have time alone with each of your partners
- to enjoy passion and special moments with each of your partners
In a family or intimate network:
- to choose the level of involvement and intimacy you want with other members of the family or network
- to be treated with courtesy
- to seek compromise
- to have relationships with people, not with relationships
- to be treated as a peer of every other person, not as a subordinate
To the extent possible under law, Eve Rickert has waived all copyright and related or neighbouring rights to the Relationship Bill of Rights. This work is published from Canada.