Willow Smith reveals she's polyamorous
29 April 2021, 11:43
Willow Smith reveals she's polyamorous on Red Table Talk
Polyamory can be defined as the practice of engaging in multiple romantic relationships at the same time.
Willow Smith has opened up about being polygamous to her mother Jada Pinkett Smith and grandmother Adrienne Banfield-Norris on the latest episode of Red Table Talk.
What does polyamorous mean?
Polyamory is the practice of engaging in multiple romantic, emotional or sexual relationships at the same time with the consent of all parties involved. Although mainstream culture is driven by monogamy (being with only one partner), polyamory has been practiced for centuries and there are many forms.
On Wednesday (Apr 28), the 'Transparent Soul' singer explained to her family that she has chosen to have polyamorous relationships. She said: "With polyamory, I feel like the main foundation is the freedom to be able to create a relationship style that works for you. Not just stepping into monogamy because that's what everyone around you says is the right thing to do.
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"So, I was like, how can I structure the way that I approach relationships with that in mind? Also, doing research into polyamory, the main reasons why monogamous relationships – or why marriage, why divorces happen – is infidelity."
Willow's grandmother Adrienne was a little skeptical about her choice, believing it was all about sex. "For somebody like me, it feels like it’s really all just centred around sex," Adrienne said.
However, Willow stressed that polyamory isn't necessarily about having sexual relationships. She replied: "Let's say you haven't always been the person wanting sex all the time, but your partner is. Are you going to be the person to say, 'Just because I don't have these needs, you can't have them either?' That's one of the reasons why I was interested in poly because I was introduced to it through kind of a nonsexual lens. In my friend group, I'm the only polyamorous person and I have the least sex out of all of my friends."
Willow's mother Jada seemed to be a lot more understanding about her decision. She said: "I think anything goes, as long as the intentions are clear – more to yourself than anything. I know that there's a lot of beauty that sits outside of the conventional boxes.
She added: "Most people are practicing monogamy because they feel they have no other choice. We all know that most people out here do an ethical non-monogamy any damn way. Practicing monogamy has to be a choice that you make, just like practicing polyamory. It can’t be because I’m told I’m supposed to do it this way. That, my dear, is deeply antiquated and no longer works."
Watch the full Red Table Talk episode here.
Is Polyamory For YouGammy tries to understand Willow's decision to live a polyamorous lifestyle - seeking multiple intimate partners at the same time. In a lively generational debate on marriage and monogamy, Willow opens up about her decision to practice ethical non-monogamy. Poly Solo Gabrielle Smith and her married boyfriend Alex come to the Table to reveal how their multiple-partner approach to relationships works, especially with his wife.
Posted by Red Table Talk on Tuesday, April 20, 2021
Willow has previously discussed her interest in polyamory on Red Table Talk, revealing that she's she's attracted to both men and women on an episode in 2019. "I love men and women equally, and so I would definitely want one man, one woman. I feel like I could be polyfidelitous with those two people," she explained.
"I’m not the kind of person that is constantly looking for new sexual experiences. I focus a lot on the emotional connection and I feel like if I were to find two people of different genders that I really connected with and we had a romantic and sexual connection, I don’t feel like I would feel the need to try to go find more.”
