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.