Saturday, January 30, 2010

February VP101 discussion


VP101 February discussion: the In's and Out's of Poly Love

How do you love your Poly Valentine?
Host:

Date:
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Time:
6:30pm - 9:30pm
Location:
Camas Bookstore
Street:
corner of Kings and Quadra

Description

Polyamory means "many loves", but how, exactly do we express and define the love we feel for more than one intimate partner? How is this the same or different from the love we feel for other family members? How important is sex to the expression of love?

Come discuss what love means within the context of poly, ideally and practically.

Friday, January 29, 2010

Upcoming Victoria book launch



Who's Your Daddy book launch

Date:
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Time:
3:30pm - 5:30pm
Location:
Michel Pujol Room, Student Union Building (SUB), University of Victoria

Description

Who's Your Daddy is a groundbreaking collection of writings from queer parents, parents-to-be, writers, academics, lawyers, activists and queer spawn.

Come join the author Rachel Epstein and mingle with students, writers and members of Victoria's queer community. Books available for purchase. This event is being hosted by UVic Pride's Canadian University Queer Services Conference (Feb. 5-7, 2010).

Cost: donation of $3-6 (sliding scale)

Call 250-483-5943 for more information.


Thursday, January 28, 2010

Canadian Polyamory Advocacy Association Press Release

For Immediate Release

Polyamorists Announce Court Application

VANCOUVER -- January 28, 2010 -- Members of Canada's polyamory community have applied to become an intervener in the B.C. government's challenge of section 293 of the Criminal Code of Canada -- Canada's anti-polygamy law. The application, filed in BC Supreme Court yesterday, is on behalf of the Canadian Polyamory Advocacy Association (CPAA).

Polyamory, sometimes referred to as responsible or ethical non-monogamy, is the practice, desire, or acceptance of having more than one intimate relationship at a time with the consent of everyone involved. Section 293 forbids both polygamy and any kind of conjugal union with more than one person at the same time and as such infringes on people's ability to practice polyamory if the relationships involve cohabitation.

"We believe that people should be free to practice polyamory free of any criminal liability, and that the Charter of Rights gives Canadians such freedom," said CPAA legal counsel, John Ince.

"It is not appropriate for a law which prohibits loving, committed, consensual relationships to remain on the books, even if it not presently being enforced," Ince continued.

Newsweek Magazine recently reported that polyamory is a thriving phenomenon in the United States, with over half a million families openly living in relationships that are between multiple consenting partners.1 Polyamory is also a thriving phenomenon in Canada.

The CPAA, whose purpose is to promote legal, social, government, and institutional acceptance and support of polyamory in Canada, has called for people who practice a polyamorous lifestyle to step forward as potential witnesses, particularly if they are cohabiting with multiple partners.

"Trudeau once famously said 'there is no place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation'. Similarly, we believe that there is no place for the state in the kitchens and the front rooms of the nation," said Zoe Duff, CPAA spokesperson.

"Adult women and men should be able to choose what form of intimate relationship they enter into and with whom they want to share their lives, even if it is more than one person," Duff continued.

Polyamory contrasts with "patriarchal polygamy" practiced in religious communities such as Bountiful, B.C. where men have the right to marry or live with several women, but women have no right to marry or live with several men. Polyamory, on the other hand, is grounded in gender equality, self-determination, and free choice for all involved.

If the issues at communities such as Bountiful are alleged abuse (for example: the abuse of minors, abuse of authority, and marriages that are under age), the abuses should be prosecuted using existing laws that address such abuses.

The CPAA anticipates that his matter may go to the Supreme Court of Canada.

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

More on the Poly Women's Group in Victoria, BC


The first Poly Women's Group meeting in Victoria (Jan. 3) was a huge success!  We had coffee in a great location, some fun and interesting conversation, and got to know each other better.  


The next meeting will be on Feb 7th from 2-4 at Discovery Coffee on Discovery St at Douglas, by Paul's motor Inn, Victoria, BC.  Check out the Victoria Poly 101 Facebook group for more information, or join the new Poly Women's Group on Facebook.