Keywords: lifestyle , personal updates

Monogamy is most often equated with the “highest” form of commitment, which we deem to be marriage. However, across the majority of cultures and for many centuries, marriage (and the requisite of monogamy) has contributed to the oppression of women. Historically, once women were married they were treated as chattel and considered to be the property of their husbands. This never stopped men from fraternizing and spreading their seed, but it most definitely stripped women of their power and their voice. The expectation of monogamy is one of many tools that society subtly employs in order to disempower and dominate the feminine. Because even now in the 21st century, women are held to a different standard where fidelity is concerned. While we may not be the property of our husbands, a lot of men would like to think (and collectively still believe) that we are. This is evident in common family dynamics, such as a woman staying home to look after children while her husband has a day (or night) off to socialize. I guarantee that many more men than women in marriages are granted this luxury. This inequity is also evident in overt instances of infidelity, where a man’s transgressions are more “understandable” and “forgivable” (i.e. more socially acceptable) than a woman’s. As far as I’m concerned, a healthy relationship, one that embodies the highest form of commitment, is one in which each partner is acknowledged and honored for their sovereignty. Which brings me to a critical point – my body is my own and no one else’s. This may seem obvious but the fundamental premise of monogamy strips us of this truth. Unless I am fully, consciously monogamous from a place of desire and personal choice, I am otherwise making this choice from a place of duty or obligation and not from wanting. This takes power over my body and hands it to another, which is incredibly problematic. Especially for women who are conditioned and accustomed to relinquishing their power and authority to appease our masculine-dominant society.

https://stylemesenseless.com/2021/05/05/in-support-of-conscious-non-monogamy