Family Matters - Rights Respect & Recognition for Every Family

Barrett family

My Family Is…

For years my family has consisted of 2 or 3 male partners that we, collectively, consider to be family. These partners are long-term (many years) friends who were sex partners at one point in time. Since 1997 it has been two men, Sam and Ken (pseudonyms) and there was third man for a number of years but the relation with that third man has withered. Ken and I own property together and we sporadically provide financial support to Sam; fortunately we all three share the same gay doctor. All of us have outside sexual and intimacy partners that we don’t consider to be part of the ‘family’.

My Family Matters Because…

Family matters because there are frequent needs for stable relationships to sort through various unexpected situations (car problems, pet care, house maintenance). Additionally, two of us have medical issues (one AIDS, the other heart disease) where there is occasional need for someone to assist and/or make emergency decisions. Neither Ken nor I have any connection to family of origin and thus have designated each other with medical power of attorneys in the event of the need for someone else to make health decisions. Going beyond that, we have another friend who has similar power if something happens to both of us.

The Starners Plus One

My Family Is…

My husband and I have had relationships in our lives with “others”.. either him having a “girlfriend” or I having a “boyfriend” or us having a couple in our lives.. during those times we consider those individuals our “family”… and they always will be in our lives and thought about… right now my husband does have a “girlfriend” and we do consider her part of our family…

My Family Matters Because…

This is an interesting question because my family does matter in every way... I shouldnt have to when my husbands girlfriend goes into the hospital I have to state that I am either "just a friend" or even say I am her sister just to get in or get information... I know as much information about her as any spouse or parent would if not more then she does... My family matters when it comes to being able to speak out to others in a public atmosphere and feel comfortable to state my husbands "girlfriend" and I or whatever without discrimination... My family matters when we go to the store holding hands... My family matters.... as much as anyone...

Justyn Hintze

Currently, the Boston-Welch or Boston-Welch-Spilde Family.

My Family Is…

In the present, my traditional family of birth, including 5 siblings alive today and their children and spouses, a bunch of my cousins, and my extended family from my mixed polyamorous marriage of over 40 years, including some of the more serious formers triad partners from the past, especially our daughter’s other Father who was with us for almost 2 decades.

My Family Matters Because…

These are the people who love and support me as I do them.

Reid Mihalko

The Rose Duke Family

My Family Is…

My husband and I are polyamorous and consider my other primary partner (who I identify as a husband) to be family. By extension, that partner’s family is also part of our extended family. We also have several friends in the poly and leather communities that we consider to be family including a gay couple that we consider to be brothers even closer than our own biological brothers and my partner’s ex-lover. Likewise, I have an ex-partner (first extra poly husband) that we consider family who lives in Texas with his three kids and girlfriend. While my husband and I are close to our biological families we honor and respect our “family of choice” that has always worked with us for the betterment of our children and even our own relationship.

My Family Matters Because…

humans should not have to limit the quantity or quality of unconditional, intimate connections in their lives. The support we receive from our family is beyond words. They know and accept us as we are and hold us accountable when we're wrong. They help us when times are rough and celebrate our accomplishments. They provide unconditional love beyond what we receive from our biological families as well as practical help and advice no matter the issue. We firmly believe that these strong bonds can only benefit our own core relationship and the support and love available to our children. Our family believes that the more love we share, the better the world becomes and so I hope that as our children grow, they learn the value of honoring the varied connections they will develop over their lifetime, adding to the amount of love and support in the world as a whole.

The Brown +1 family

My Family Is…

My wife and two children, and my wife’s partner (assistant husband or co-husband we often call him) all live as one family unit. I have a strong conviction that a family is not made by blood and by an exclusive contract, but by choosing to include those who have the same ideals and vested interest in a loving, supportive, and intimate network.

My Family Matters Because…

Our expanded family allows us a built in support network for my wife and myself which is often lacking in blood relations and makes the trials of busy daily life more bearable. We work together, we play together, we nurture and support and guide our children together and all work to better our lives individually through support and as a unit. To us, a poly family is the next inevitable stage of evolution after the "nuclear family" after all, strange mutations are bound to happen after nuclear right?

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