Research Investigator:
Victoria Clowater
PhD Student, Department of Anthropology
McMaster University
Hamilton, Ontario
Supervisor:
Dr. Cal (Crystal) Biruk
Associate Professor, Department of Anthropology
McMaster University
Hamilton, Ontario
The project looks at how poly families navigate situations where polyamory is not recognized; in healthcare, insurance, taxes, the legal system, banking, legal parental status, school interactions, etc. The goal of this research is to understand the issues polyamorous families face, their visions for a more inclusive society, their strategies for self-advocacy and/or safety, and the positive experiences of inclusion that poly people have experienced.
Eligible participants are polyamorous or nonmonogamous people in Ontario and BC who would be interested in talking about their experiences navigating discrimination and exclusion. I am particularly interested in speaking with people who practice “kitchen table” or “garden party” polyamory, and those whose families may involve multiple partners cohabitating, co-parenting, or otherwise collaborating in unconventional ways.
This research involves in-person or Zoom interviews that will take 1-2 hours, and will involve questions about your experiences as a polyamorous/non-monogamous person. During the interview, you will be asked a series of questions about your family, and about your experiences in different contexts, such as in healthcare, insurance, taxes, the legal system, banking legal parental status, school interactions, and others. The interview can take place on Zoom or in-person, depending on your preference and location (I am located in Hamilton, Ontario, but can travel in Ontario and will be visiting BC).
This research will culminate in my PhD dissertation, which will be publicly available in the McMaster online thesis database. I also intend to publish my findings in academic articles, public-facing articles, and as a book. I hope that this research will inform future polyamorous advocacy and play a role in challenging people’s perspectives about what a “family” looks like.
All records of individual interviews and conversations will be kept private and will only be available to the research team. All records of individual interviews will be kept in a secure, password-protected laptop and they will be deleted after completion of the study. Pseudonyms will be used in all publications, and no one will be identified by name in this study.
If there are any questions that participants feel uncomfortable answering or that they would prefer not to answer they may skip over that question or stop the interview. Participation in this research is completely voluntary, and participants can decide to withdraw from the study at any time.
For more information about this study, or to volunteer for this study, please fill out the form below:
There are 4 questions in this survey.
