Page content

Romantic relationships are changing. There has been a recent rise in alternative relationship models called consensual non-monogamies (CNMs) like polyamory. These include relationship practices that allow individuals to openly have multiple partners. The EU funded CNM-MOVES project aims to undertake a transnational comparative analysis of such polyamory movements in Portugal and the UK, considering their connections, backgrounds, political contexts and activities, media strategies and other characteristics. The goal is to further develop literature on CNMs and sexual politics that will be helpful in the field of human rights, citizenship, or social and legal justice.

The project started on September 2019 and will run until August 2021. On this page you will find some basic information about the project and updates on initiatives and publications made.

Funding information

EU flag

This project has received funding

from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No 845889.

  • Objectives

    This research project focuses on the transnational comparative analysis of the similarities, differences, and connections between social movements that focus on Consensual Non-Monogamies (CNMs), both in Portugal and in the UK, with an emphasis on polyamory. It will consider how this political theme is taken up in different contexts, and how those contexts impact social movements, how they influence one another (via the geographical circulation of cultural products, activists, ideas and affects), how different macro- and micro-political strategies develop and interconnect with other social movements, and how they become enmeshed with the media representations produced about and by those groups. It focuses on the mediatization of intimate citizenship, as well as the history of activism and the interaction among social movements in Europe, and fills a gap in the extant literature on CNMs and sexual politics, opening up new understandings for Human Rights, citizenship, social and legal justice. The project takes into consideration the gendered, racial, sexual and classed aspects of political engagement and visibility, as well as the fluid definition of what is considered “political”.

  • Who's involved

    Dr. Daniel Cardoso (MSCFA Research Fellow) holds a PhD in Communication Sciences by the NOVA University, and is a Research Fellow at the Department of Sociology at Manchester Metropolitan University, UK, and a part of RCASS and its Gender and Sexuality Research Group. They are also an Associate Professor at the Lusófona University, in Lisbon; and Guest Assistant Professor at the NOVA University of Lisbon. Their main areas of research are consensual non-monogamies, BDSM, gender and sexualities, young and new media, and cybercultures. Their work and activism can be found at www.danielscardoso.net

    Dr. Christian Klesse (Project Advisor and Coordinator) is a Reader at the Department of Sociology. He joined Manchester Metropolitan University in August, 2006 after holding the Sociological Review Research Fellowship at Keele University in the UK (2004/2005) and teaching Gender-Studies and Queer Theory at the University of Hamburg in Germany (2004-2006). His research is interdisciplinary and often collaborative. His main research interests cover consensual nonmonogamies, contemporary sexualities and intimacies, transnational politics around gender and sexuality, LGBTQ activism, bisexualities, and Queer Film Festivals. He is RCASS Impact Coordinator and Co-Lead of the Gender and Sexuality Studies Research Group.

  • Outputs

    Paper on the coverage of Consensual Non-Monogamies in Portugal

    Cardoso, D. (2021). Diversidade relacional e olhares mediáticos: Uma década de representações jornalísticas de não-monogamias consensuais em PortugalCommunitas5(12), 54–73.

    Short report on UK coverage of Consensual Non-Monogamies - November 2021

    Consensual Non-monogamies in the UK press: The Years 2010-2014 (English)

    Short report on Portuguese coverage of Consensual Non-Monogamies - July 2020

    Dez anos de não-monogamias consensuais nos media em Portugal (Portuguese)

    Ten years of consensual non-monogamies in the media in Portugal (English)

  • Events

    2021

    November 20th

    Closing event of the CNM-MOVES project. With Meg-John Barker and M. Espada Guerra. 

    November 13th

    Training Session “Jornada Online Sobre Sexualidade” in Centro de Estudos da Família e do Indivíduo, Brazil.

    September 9th

    Panel “Consensual Non/Monogamies (CNMs) and Sexual Justice: New(?) Fields for Critical Action, Research and Theory”, with Sari van Anders. 25th WAS Conference. South Africa.

    September 2nd

     ”Journalism and Polyamory – An Analysis of CNM Representations Over a Decade in Portuguese Media”. 15th ESA Conference. Barcelona, Spain.

    September 1st

    ““We Are Talking About A Branch Of The Tree” – Transcending Identity-Related Sexuality Discourse In Positioning Consensual Non-Monogamies’ Activism Through Intersectionality”. 15th ESA Conference. Barcelona, Spain

    July 28th

    Transnational comparative approach to activism around consensual non-monogamies in the UK and Portugal”. ScholarSocial Summer School

    July 11th

    O Universo LGBTQIA+”. Jornadas de Sexualidade e de Direitos Humanos. Brasil / Portugal

    June 17th

    Diversidade relacional, diálogo digital: Um estudo de caso sobre comentários de reportagens online e incivilidade”. Sessões Inter-GTs do GT Públicos e Audiências SOPCOM. Portugal

    June 1st

    Pode o ciberjornalismo ser um lugar de fala?”; Panel with Ana Cristina Pereira (researcher), Carolina Franco (journalist), Marta Lança (journalist) - Oporto Lusophone University

    March 10th

    Outros Amores – Uma década de representações sobre Não-Monogamias Consensuais na imprensa portuguesa”. Dia da Comunicação ULHT. Lisboa, Portugal 

    2020

    December 3rd

    Journalism beyond ‘The Couple’: Representations of consensual non-monogamies in Portugal and the UK, Guest Lecture at the Sociology Department at Padova University, Italy

    November 10th

    Guest Lecture at the Psychology PhD at Porto University, Portugal

    Aug 26th

    Interview for the Sexual Health Alliance CNM Program (USA). Online.

    June 17th

    Open Lecture on Sociology of the Family at Minho University (Portugal). Online Event.

    February 14th

    Organizing a keynote lecture by Dr Meg-John Barker (at Manchester Metropolitan University) and Book Launch of their recent publication “Gender: A Graphic Guide” (at The Proud Trust, Manchester, UK) for RCASS and the Gender and Sexualities Research Group.

    2019

    November 14th-16th

    3rd Non-Monogamies and Contemporary Intimacies Conference. Barcelona, Spain. Presenting results related to previous research; networking.

    Cardoso, D.; Pascoal, P.; Rosa, P. 2019. Facing polyamorous lives – Academic contributions to understand and fight discrimination against CNMs. 16 November 2019. 3rd Non-Monogamies and Contemporary Intimacies. Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, Spain.

    October 19th

    SPSC (Portuguese Society for Clinical Sexology) training to about 40 professionals in the area of psychology and medicine, on consensual non-monogamies. Lisbon, Portugal. FCSH – UNL

    October 18th

    Public Lecture: Working in the frontier: Media, intimate citizenship and human rights. LUSOFONA University, Lisbon, Portugal.

  • Media mentions

  • Ethical information

  • CNM activism chronology in Portugal

    Please note this is still an ongoing compilation of information and is subjected to updates. Latest version is dated 25/01/2022. All the dates and data presented below are shown in good faith as being accurate from the materials collected during the CNM-MOVES research project. If you wish to add more events and details to this list please contact me.

    YearMonthDayEvent / Element of Note
    2003September9Presumed date for opening the “poliamor.pt.to” website
    2004September27First post on the PolyPortugal mailing list
    December17Official meeting from the “Poliamor.pt.to” website; the original event planner group no longer exists
    2005January29First post on Polyamory on Our Laundry List
    2006September14First known piece on polyamory in mainstream media, “Grazia” women’s magazine
    2007February3First generalist press coverage of polyamory known, “Tabu” magazine from weekly “Sol”
    July7Second LGBT Pride March in Oporto, “PoliAmor” as a co-organizer for the first time
     N/AFirst known appearance of polyamory in mainstream radio; “Proval Oral” on Antena 3
    2008November10PolyPortugal creates leaflets to be distributed during Pride Marches
    2009Maio24First known appearance of polyamory in open-signal TV; “Sete Palmos de Testa” on RTP2
     June28PolyPortugal blog starts
     July2“Espalha-amores” blog started
     UnknownN/A“poliamor.pt.to” changed to “poliamor.pt”
    2010Maio1Amnesty International’s LGBT group organizes a roundtable on polyamory and invites PolyPortugal activists as guest speakers
    June1911th LGBT Pride March in Lisbon, PolyPortugal as a co-organizer for the first time, its manifesto is read at the end of the event
    July17PolyPortugal Facebook Page and Group created
    SeptemberN/AFirst known academic document on polyamory in Portugal; “Amando vári@s”
    2012June20Flyers to be distributed in Pride Marches are redone
    2013Agosto14Last post to date on Espalha-Amores
    2014UnknownN/A“Poliamor” recognized as a Portuguese word
     March1First known EU-funded research project hosted in Portugal which (also) looks at CNMs - INTIMATE (CES - Coimbra)
    AprilVariousBiggest known media exposure to date, joint work by the “SIC” TV channel and the “Expresso” weekly newspaper
    June14PolyPortugal representative reads PolyPortugal manifesto during the 2nd Pride March of Braga
    2015January1Last post to date on “Our Laundry List”
     February28The Socialist Party’s Youth group from the Amadora region holds a roundtable on CNMs, invites PolyPortugal activist as part of the panel
     September25-271st Non-Monogamies and Contemporary Intimacies Conference takes place in Lisbon, an international event still ongoing
     October22Last snapshot of poliamor.pt, website currently offline
    2017February21Project NeufHaus is launched; currently not online
    2018FebruaryN/ALast post on PolyPortugal mailing list, service no longer exists
    March9“Amores Plurais” Facebook page is created
    2019March17Last post to date on PolyPortugal’s blog
    2020July5“Rambóia Com Moderação” podcast and Instagram Page are launched
  • CNM activism chronology in the UK

    Please note this is still an ongoing compilation of information and is subjected to updates. Latest version is dated 25/01/2022. All the dates and data presented below are shown in good faith as being accurate from the materials collected during the CNM-MOVES research project. If you wish to add more events and details to this list please contact me.

    YearMonthDayEvent / Element of Note
    2003February28Polyamory-UK Livejournal created
    2004August20UKPoly Livejournal created, PolyDay announced
    September14First London Polyamory meetup confirmed
    October301st UK PolyDay takes place in Leicester
    2006July14Ethical Non-Monogamy workshop at BiCon 2006
    October142nd UK PolyDay takes place in London
    November14“Polyamory” shows up on a written newspiece title for the first known time in The Scotsman
    2007September223rd UK PolyDay takes place in London
     26Creation of “UK Polyamory” Facebook group
    2008September13 to 144th UK PolyDay takes place in London
    2009September265th UK PolyDay takes place in London
    2010February2OpenCon UK Livejournal is created
     20Earliest available snapshot of “Opencon.eu”
    September13Last post to date on UKPoly Livejournal, announcing the next PolyDay
    October8 to 101st OpenCon UK event takes place near London
    November15Website “Polytical.org” launched
     206th UK PolyDay takes place in Bristol
    2011August277th UK PolyDay takes place in London
    October14 to 162nd OpenCon UK takes place in Gillingham, Dorset
     31The London Poly Women’s Group founded
    December9Blog “opencon.wordpress.com” is launched, announcing OpenCon UK 2012: “Opencon.eu” is offline
    2012January15Nottingham Polyamory Meetup group created
    February2First event of Yorkshire O.P.E.N.
    June168th UK PolyDay takes place in London
    October5 to 73rd OpenCon UK takes place in Gillingham, Dorset
    November12Last available snapshot of “Nottingham Polyamory Meetup” group
    2013March29“UK Poly Dating Classifieds” Facebook group created
    August19Last post pertaining to CNM issues on Polyamory-UK Livejournal
    October11 to 134th OpenCon UK takes place
    December28Last post to date on “Polytical.org”, website is currently offline
    2014July20Current “Polyamory and Relationship Anarchy UK” Facebook group created
    October10 to 125th OpenCon UK takes place in Gillingham, Dorset; website moves to “opencon.org.uk”
    November30Black & Poly London founded; regional extension of the American organization
    2015February1First post on the “Polyamory UK” website
     7Black Poly London first event
    October179th UK PolyDay takes place in London
    November18First meeting of the London Poly Women’s group
    2016February21Academic/activist event “Polyamory, Consensual Non-Monogamy and Relationship Anarchy in the 21st Century” at the MMU
    2016June15Last known listed even on The London Poly Women’s Group; group is no longer available
    October810th UK PolyDay takes place in London
    November22Last post to date on the “Polyamory UK” website; website is currently offline
    2017October6Last post to date on Polyamory-UK Livejournal
     711th UK PolyDay takes place in London
    November2Last available snapshot of “Black & Poly London”. at the time listed 6 events in total; the group is no longer available
    2018January17“Polyamory UK D/s and Kink” Facebook group created
    August9Poly Camp 2019 campaign launched; the event scheduled for Aug. 2019 never took place; the “polycamp.co.uk” website is now offline
    October1312th UK PolyDay takes place in London
    2019October1213th UK PolyDay takes place in London
    2020March15Fiction mini-series “Trigonometry” premiers on BBC 2
    2021September24 to 26e-NonMonogamies and Contemporary Intimacies Conference (online but hosted by MMU)