CNM-MOVES: Consensual Non-Monogamies and Social Movements
Having multiple romantic partners - consensually
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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](/sites/default/files/styles/logo_scalable/public/2022-03/eu_flag.jpg?itok=M51PQoTm)
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.
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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”.
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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.
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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 Portugal. Communitas, 5(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)
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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.
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Media mentions
Histórias de poliamor: quem disse que o coração só pode amar pelos dois? “A monogamia é um sistema patriarcal completamente machista” (Expresso) - 20/10/2021
Relações não monogâmicas consensuais. “O amor não se divide, multiplica-se” (Jornal i) - 15/10/2021
As novas relações que abalam a monogamia (Fronteiras XXI) - 11/2020
Beyond Monogamy - Episode 2: An A-Z of Consensual Non-Monogamies (pt. 2) - 30/10/2020
Beyond Monogamy - Episode 1: An A-Z of Consensual Non-Monogamies (pt. 1) - 28/09/2020
Polyamory (Liberty News) - 16/09/2020
Poliamor: Amar Amores (UALMedia) - 27/07/2020
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Ethical information
Participant Information Sheet (English)
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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.
Year Month Day Event / Element of Note 2003 September 9 Presumed date for opening the “poliamor.pt.to” website 2004 September 27 First post on the PolyPortugal mailing list December 17 Official meeting from the “Poliamor.pt.to” website; the original event planner group no longer exists 2005 January 29 First post on Polyamory on Our Laundry List 2006 September 14 First known piece on polyamory in mainstream media, “Grazia” women’s magazine 2007 February 3 First generalist press coverage of polyamory known, “Tabu” magazine from weekly “Sol” July 7 Second LGBT Pride March in Oporto, “PoliAmor” as a co-organizer for the first time N/A First known appearance of polyamory in mainstream radio; “Proval Oral” on Antena 3 2008 November 10 PolyPortugal creates leaflets to be distributed during Pride Marches 2009 Maio 24 First known appearance of polyamory in open-signal TV; “Sete Palmos de Testa” on RTP2 June 28 PolyPortugal blog starts July 2 “Espalha-amores” blog started Unknown N/A “poliamor.pt.to” changed to “poliamor.pt” 2010 Maio 1 Amnesty International’s LGBT group organizes a roundtable on polyamory and invites PolyPortugal activists as guest speakers June 19 11th LGBT Pride March in Lisbon, PolyPortugal as a co-organizer for the first time, its manifesto is read at the end of the event July 17 PolyPortugal Facebook Page and Group created September N/A First known academic document on polyamory in Portugal; “Amando vári@s” 2012 June 20 Flyers to be distributed in Pride Marches are redone 2013 Agosto 14 Last post to date on Espalha-Amores 2014 Unknown N/A “Poliamor” recognized as a Portuguese word March 1 First known EU-funded research project hosted in Portugal which (also) looks at CNMs - INTIMATE (CES - Coimbra) April Various Biggest known media exposure to date, joint work by the “SIC” TV channel and the “Expresso” weekly newspaper June 14 PolyPortugal representative reads PolyPortugal manifesto during the 2nd Pride March of Braga 2015 January 1 Last post to date on “Our Laundry List” February 28 The Socialist Party’s Youth group from the Amadora region holds a roundtable on CNMs, invites PolyPortugal activist as part of the panel September 25-27 1st Non-Monogamies and Contemporary Intimacies Conference takes place in Lisbon, an international event still ongoing October 22 Last snapshot of poliamor.pt, website currently offline 2017 February 21 Project NeufHaus is launched; currently not online 2018 February N/A Last post on PolyPortugal mailing list, service no longer exists March 9 “Amores Plurais” Facebook page is created 2019 March 17 Last post to date on PolyPortugal’s blog 2020 July 5 “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.
Year Month Day Event / Element of Note 2003 February 28 Polyamory-UK Livejournal created 2004 August 20 UKPoly Livejournal created, PolyDay announced September 14 First London Polyamory meetup confirmed October 30 1st UK PolyDay takes place in Leicester 2006 July 14 Ethical Non-Monogamy workshop at BiCon 2006 October 14 2nd UK PolyDay takes place in London November 14 “Polyamory” shows up on a written newspiece title for the first known time in The Scotsman 2007 September 22 3rd UK PolyDay takes place in London 26 Creation of “UK Polyamory” Facebook group 2008 September 13 to 14 4th UK PolyDay takes place in London 2009 September 26 5th UK PolyDay takes place in London 2010 February 2 OpenCon UK Livejournal is created 20 Earliest available snapshot of “Opencon.eu” September 13 Last post to date on UKPoly Livejournal, announcing the next PolyDay October 8 to 10 1st OpenCon UK event takes place near London November 15 Website “Polytical.org” launched 20 6th UK PolyDay takes place in Bristol 2011 August 27 7th UK PolyDay takes place in London October 14 to 16 2nd OpenCon UK takes place in Gillingham, Dorset 31 The London Poly Women’s Group founded December 9 Blog “opencon.wordpress.com” is launched, announcing OpenCon UK 2012: “Opencon.eu” is offline 2012 January 15 Nottingham Polyamory Meetup group created February 2 First event of Yorkshire O.P.E.N. June 16 8th UK PolyDay takes place in London October 5 to 7 3rd OpenCon UK takes place in Gillingham, Dorset November 12 Last available snapshot of “Nottingham Polyamory Meetup” group 2013 March 29 “UK Poly Dating Classifieds” Facebook group created August 19 Last post pertaining to CNM issues on Polyamory-UK Livejournal October 11 to 13 4th OpenCon UK takes place December 28 Last post to date on “Polytical.org”, website is currently offline 2014 July 20 Current “Polyamory and Relationship Anarchy UK” Facebook group created October 10 to 12 5th OpenCon UK takes place in Gillingham, Dorset; website moves to “opencon.org.uk” November 30 Black & Poly London founded; regional extension of the American organization 2015 February 1 First post on the “Polyamory UK” website 7 Black Poly London first event October 17 9th UK PolyDay takes place in London November 18 First meeting of the London Poly Women’s group 2016 February 21 Academic/activist event “Polyamory, Consensual Non-Monogamy and Relationship Anarchy in the 21st Century” at the MMU 2016 June 15 Last known listed even on The London Poly Women’s Group; group is no longer available October 8 10th UK PolyDay takes place in London November 22 Last post to date on the “Polyamory UK” website; website is currently offline 2017 October 6 Last post to date on Polyamory-UK Livejournal 7 11th UK PolyDay takes place in London November 2 Last available snapshot of “Black & Poly London”. at the time listed 6 events in total; the group is no longer available 2018 January 17 “Polyamory UK D/s and Kink” Facebook group created August 9 Poly Camp 2019 campaign launched; the event scheduled for Aug. 2019 never took place; the “polycamp.co.uk” website is now offline October 13 12th UK PolyDay takes place in London 2019 October 12 13th UK PolyDay takes place in London 2020 March 15 Fiction mini-series “Trigonometry” premiers on BBC 2 2021 September 24 to 26 e-NonMonogamies and Contemporary Intimacies Conference (online but hosted by MMU)