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The Buchtelite

The Editorially Independent Voice of The University of Akron

The Buchtelite

The Editorially Independent Voice of The University of Akron

The Buchtelite

New picture of polygamy painted

“With the word polygamy the words Utah and Mormons come to mind, but the story of Kathleen Lewis’ life just doesn’t seem to fit in with that. She first posted the story of her life is like on Yourtango.com and it has gained attention from there. She openly tells what her non traditional life is like.”

With the word polygamy the words Utah and Mormons come to mind, but the story of Kathleen Lewis’ life just doesn’t seem to fit in with that.

She first posted the story of her life is like on Yourtango.com and it has gained attention from there. She openly tells what her non traditional life is like. The description of her life is not the typical description of polygamy. She describes her household, and it doesn’t seem all that out of the ordinary. They have family meetings twice a week. She says they talk about normal issues like money, and other household issues. She says the meeting are like any other family – but we just have more voices in the discussion. She talks about who does the cooking, who handles the bills and finances. It’s an odd 21st century Full House.

She explains how this way came about for her. Her childhood was an unremarkable one, nothing like the life she leads now. It started in college when she and a friend were both attracted to the same guy. The guy liked both girls, so instead of having a cat fight over him the girls decided to share.

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She married Alan. The idea of polygamist relationships didn’t bother either of them, so when Kathleen fell in love with Eric there was a simple solution; Eric moved in and started the beginning of an unconventional living situation. She says the discussion and decision to make Eric a member of the family was one of the most important of her life.

The family continued to grow when Eric married Leslie. Somewhere along the way Amber joined this unique family. The family does not just include the five adults there are also four children and one on the way. She says their families know who is married to whom, but have never asked questions as to just what the situation is.

Lewis warns that this lifestyle really isn’t for everybody. We are all here because we love each other and we choose to be together. She says it’s not all about sex, and nothing kinky is going on. For them it works better than traditional relationships. It’s just the way they all decided to live their lives, and it works for them

The description of this family is very unique. The way she tells it these people truly do care for one another. They seem committed to each other, something that some tradition family can’t manage to do. It hardly seems wrong or forbidden. The story of this woman and her family is such a contrast from the typical picture of polygamy. Polygamy normally seems like an illicit, disgusting, religious cult. The idea of marring and loving more than one person intimately seems wrong in our society. It’s illegal, and with that perception of it, rightfully so.

However this new description paints a different picture and raises new questions. Can polygamy exist in a without that dirty undertone? Can polygamy really exist legally? Romantic law tells us to believe in soul mate, but can there be more than one? Even as there may be vary differing options on this subject, perceptions, ideas and principles can change over time. So while this new picture of polygamy emerging may seem strange or immoral the future may change perceptions.

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