Dating

Whether you call it dating, hanging out or hooking up, here's information about the ways we can intentionally seek to get to know each other, particularly with an eye towards sexual or romantic connections.

Article
  • Mo Ranyart
  • s.e. smith

Every relationship is different, and when you’re polyamorous, that means that you may have several different relationships going on all at once. One issue to think about is the relationship structure that works for you, and how to make it work with your partners. Remember that this can be in a constant state of evolution, but communication is necessary for changes to take place.

Article
  • Mo Ranyart
  • s.e. smith

The start of a relationship can feel very fluid — you may date several people while you get to know them, and might pick up, stop, shift and start relationships at various points. Sometimes you can find yourself in a situation where you aren't entirely sure if you're "officially" dating someone at all, but it sure feels like you might be. As a relationship starts to evolve into something more structured or long-term, you may want to have a deeper conversation about the form you want your relationship to take. For you, that may mean bringing up polyamory — or having your partner bring it up, in which case, this guide is for you too!

Article
  • Mo Ranyart
  • s.e. smith

(Mostly) everything (okay, okay, not mostly everything, but a lot) you wanted to know about polyamory.

Article
  • Sam Wall

What to do, and what to avoid like the plague, when you're crushing on someone hard.

Advice
  • Sam Wall

It's not surprising that this situation has you confused. It feels straight out of a romantic comedy, and when you take the plot of a romantic comedy and plop it into the real world it tends to feel much less humorous and more like someone stuck your head and heart in a blender and hit the "on"...

Advice
  • Mo Ranyart

First off, I want to talk about the idea of being "damaged goods." I know this is a very common way to refer to people who have mental health struggles, or a history of trauma, but I encourage you to think about yourself, and other people who may be having similar concerns in their own lives, in a...

Advice
  • Mo Ranyart

Breakups are rarely any fun, for either party involved. It can be hard to figure out a way to end a romantic relationship without causing too much pain or awkwardness, especially when you still really care about the person you're breaking up with. Since it sounds like you're pretty sure that this...

Advice
  • Mo Ranyart

Hi there, I'm sorry to hear you're feeling so lonely. First I want to tackle the fact that your friends in relationships seem to be drifting away from you and your group of friends. It's unfortunate, but it is common for many people to pull away from their friends when they enter a relationship...

Advice
  • Sam Wall

The tradition of "men pursue, women wait" is still culturally prevalent, and a lot of families (yours included) teach their children that men should be the ones doing the asking when it comes to romance. This notion is problematic for a number of reasons. It reinforces not-so-great ideas about how...

Advice
  • Sam Wall

Okay, first things first. If the bullying of him and you is at this level, then it's time to call in the administration at the school and let them know what's happening. If there's a teacher that you or he trusts, they might be able to help you with the process. But this is one of those times where...