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First celebrated in Canada in 2017, today Polyamory Day has been exported worldwide!
🇨🇦 History of Polyamory Day
On this day, November 23, in 2011 the British Columbia Supreme Court ruled that Canada's so-called "anti-polygamy law" does not apply to unformalized polyamorous households. This ruling officially clarified that Polyamory as practiced by consenting adults who aren’t seeking multiple marriages are not breaking the law.
We have the Canadian Polyamory Advocacy Association to thank for taking the issue all the way to Canada’s Supreme Court. Since 2017, the CPAA has established November 23 as National Polyamory Day in Canada.
The concept quickly spread through social media and was embraced by polyamory groups and individuals worldwide, turning it into an International Polyamory Day.
Ongoing Fight for Acceptance
While this landmark ruling legally affirmed that consensual, ethical polyamory is distinct from polygamy, it has only begun to pave the way for greater acceptance. Polyamorists continue to face discrimination in unexpected places like our experience in getting rejected for affiliate programs due to people confusing polyamory for an illicit topic, read about that here: Is Polyamory an “illicit” topic?
While currently polyamorous marriage (a legally recognized marriage between more than two people) is not legal anywhere in the United States, Canada, or Australia, there are some jurisdictions that have started to recognize multi-partner domestic partnerships and multi-parent families.
Other local jurisdictions have specifically prohibited discrimination based on relationship or family structure. Social progress always happens slower than would be preferred, but as consensual-non-monogamy becomes more mainstream we hope to see increased legal protections in the future.
How to celebrate Polyamory Day
With Pride
There’s no better day of the year to show off your poly pride with a pair of Pride Socks, or by picking up a brand new Pride flag. We’re hard at work bringing you more poly pride items, including an entire poly wardrobe section so that next year you can pull your favorite poly tee out of your closet and wear it on Polyamory Day!
Socially Share
If you’re out about being non-monogamous on socials you could share a Happy Polyamory Day message on your social accounts and engage with others who do the same. Check out our post on Instagram @shopJustPolyThings!
With your Polycule
While this holiday is mostly celebrated on social media, local events may be happening in your area. Is your local poly meetup celebrating? Tell us about it in the comments below! Or consider hosting a special event for your polycule to celebrate our special day!
Happy Polyamory Day 2025
However you choose to celebrate, we wish you a very happy Polyamory Day!
Cheers to globally raising visibility, challenging stigma, and advocating for the rights and acceptance of polyamorous people and their families!
[Images in this post were generated by Canva & Gemini]
