Looking for Interviews with Polyamorous Women

[swheeler11]

Have you been or are you currently in a consensual relationship with more than one partner, where all partners know about each other? Would you describe yourself or your relationship as polyamorous?

I am looking to interview women between the ages of 18-35 about their experiences in polyamorous relationships. I am especially interested in women from diverse race/ethnicities, social class backgrounds, and sexual identities. Participants must be currently living in the U.S. Interviews can be conducted in-person (if local to San Diego, California) or via e-mail.

All in-person interviewees will receive a $15 gift certificate to either Amazon.com or Barnes and Noble. E-mail participants will be entered into a lottery to win one of five $15 gift certificates to either Amazon.com or Barnes and Noble.

This is a research study being conducted as part of a Master’s thesis through San Diego State University. Your participation would be voluntary. You will be asked questions about your experiences with polyamory and its role in your life.

If interested, please contact Sarah Wheeler at swheeler@rohan.sdsu.edu with a short description about yourself (age, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, etc.) and your current or most recent polyamorous relationship. Please also indicate whether you would like to participate via e-mail or in-person interview. Thank you for your interest!
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(Mods, please let me know if this type of posting isn't allowed, or if this is the wrong location for it--I read the forum rules and didn't see anything about research inquiries, but I certainly don't want to annoy anyone!)

[Fidelia]

Please describe the nature of the study you wish to conduct.
In particular: What is your thesis?

[swheeler11]

Hi Fidelia,

My thesis intends to explore how women's polyamorous identities intersect with their other (racial, ethnic, sexual, etc.) identities, as well as how their participation in polyamory affects their membership in other communities.

Also, there is relatively little academic research on polyamory, and what exists tends to focus on middle-to-upper class, white, bisexual women--so I want to focus on less represented populations within the polyamory community, namely women of color, queer women, and working class women.

If you'd like, I can always post my list of interview questions as well.

[ImaginaryIllusion]

Originally Posted by swheeler11

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(Mods, please let me know if this type of posting isn't allowed, or if this is the wrong location for it--I read the forum rules and didn't see anything about research inquiries, but I certainly don't want to annoy anyone!)

Appreciate the effort of at least checking first. Will let you know if there's an issue, but I don't anticipate any problems at this time.

[redpepper]

40 and Canadian. otherwise I would gladly participate.

good luck.

[Magdlyn]

Why such young women? We older ones with grown children have more time (and energy) to play!

[GroundedSpirit]

Originally Posted by swheeler11

My thesis intends to explore how women's polyamorous identities intersect with their other (racial, ethnic, sexual, etc.) identities, as well as how their participation in polyamory affects their membership in other communities.

Also, there is relatively little academic research on polyamory, and what exists tends to focus on middle-to-upper class, white, bisexual women--so I want to focus on less represented populations within the polyamory community, namely women of color, queer women, and working class women.

If you'd like, I can always post my list of interview questions as well.

Hi Swheeler,

I might mention that if you want more real value other than a passing grade for a class from your research, you may want to consider dropping your age restrictions you originally posted.

I suspect that what you would find is that particular subset (broad generalization that should hold) will be a group that is still 'finding their way' in general - in life as well as polyamory. Correspondingly, you will likely find much corresponding with the mistakes, misunderstandings, lack of experience/knowledge etc. In other words, many of the struggles and horror stories so prevalent.

In order to get a broader understanding of where polyamory CAN lead longer term I think you may need to broaden your perspective.

Just an opinion - and we all know what they are worth..........

GS

[swheeler11]

Originally Posted by Magdlyn

Why such young women? We older ones with grown children have more time (and energy) to play!

Hi Magdlyn--to answer your question, I've restricted the age limit to 35 because one of my goals is to explore how a younger generation of polyamorous women see their non-monogamy in relation to the contemporary queer movement. Also, most of the existing academic research on polyamory tends to focus on middle-aged, upper middle class white women, so I'm trying to broaden what demographics are being represented.

In other words, ageism isn't my intention; I'm just trying to explore a different dimension of the polyamory community.

[Derbylicious]

Why only US residents?

[swheeler11]

Originally Posted by GroundedSpirit

Hi Swheeler,

I might mention that if you want more real value other than a passing grade for a class from your research, you may want to consider dropping your age restrictions you originally posted.

I suspect that what you would find is that particular subset (broad generalization that should hold) will be a group that is still 'finding their way' in general - in life as well as polyamory. Correspondingly, you will likely find much corresponding with the mistakes, misunderstandings, lack of experience/knowledge etc. In other words, many of the struggles and horror stories so prevalent.

In order to get a broader understanding of where polyamory CAN lead longer term I think you may need to broaden your perspective.

Just an opinion - and we all know what they are worth..........

GS

Hi GS,

I completely understand your perspective; however, like I mention above, I'm purposefully targeting a younger demographic because they are so underrepresented in academic research on polyamory. As with any study (especially those about polyamory, which has so many variations and such diversity), I wouldn't claim that my participants' perspectives represent all opinions of/experiences with polyamory, but I do think that valuable insight can come from any age range.

For it's worth, I plan to continue researching polyamory at the doctoral level as well--so this particular study merely represents a starting point for me, and not the full range of exploration I hope to do on the topic. Hope that clarifies it a bit more!