161 Adopting a Polyamorous Lens with Alex Alberto, Author of Entwined

When we read Entwined, Alex Alberto’s genre-blending memoir, we felt seen, understood, and represented on a whole new level. We knew right away that we wanted Alex to join us on Playing With Fire—and this week’s episode is even better than we could have imagined!!

Alex’s ground-breaking collection of essays covers beautiful and difficult parts of polyamory that are rarely discussed in story-telling formats. They show us how intense and transformative metamour relationships can be, and they bring us stories of sex and love that go beyond the romp-in-the-hay format. Whether you're polyamorous, monogamous, or somewhere in between, this conversation will expand your understanding of what's possible in relationships.

In this episode, we discuss:

— Alex’s journey to non-monogamy

— How polyamory can be a path to self-discovery and personal growth

— The value of intentionality in relationships, regardless of structure

— How non-monogamy can expand our capacity for joy and connection

— Appreciating the day-to-day realities of non-monogamous relationships, even the challenging parts

— The beauty and importance of metamour relationships in polyamorous dynamics

— The power of storytelling in normalizing and validating non-traditional relationships

— The need for diverse representation in polyamory media

— Parenting, co-parenting, and navigating the societal pressures of raising a child in a non-monogamous family dynamic

— Embracing change and transitions in long-term partnerships

Resources mentioned in this episode:

— Alex's book, Entwined: Essays on Polyamory and Creating Home

— Alex's website

— Alex's Instagram and TikTok: @thatalexalberto

— The upcoming magazine Entwined Mag

Join the global Week of Visibility for Non-monogamy – July 15-21. Visit www.weekofvisibility.com to learn more and get involved!

Are you ready to open your relationship happily? Find out at⁠⁠ ⁠www.JoliQuiz.com⁠

Get the answers you want to create the open relationship of your dreams! Sign up for an Ask Me Anything here

Read the transcript of this episode here

Music: Dance of Felt by ⁠Blue Dot Sessions