Love's Not Color Blind Race and Representation in Polyamorous and Other Alternative Communities

The issues that make monogamous dating daunting for people of color—shaming and exclusion by white partners, being fetishized, having realities of everyday racism ignored—occur in polyamorous relationships too, and trying “not to see race” only makes it worse. To make polyamorous communities inclusive, we must all acknowledge our part in perpetuating racism and listen to people of color. Love's Not Color Blind puts forward the framework—through research, anecdotal testimony, and analogy—for understanding, identifying, and confronting racism within polyamorous communities.

Kevin A. Patterson, M.Ed., is the creator of the Poly Role Models project, an interview series that serves as a platform for the diversity of polyamorous relationship structures.