Six countries, thirty cities
A non-monogamous community looks different in Brighton than it does in Brisbane. These guides cover how each local scene is actually organised, what the legal backdrop is, and what to expect before you start searching.
Why local knowledge matters more than it should
Most dating platforms treat location as a radius. That works when everyone is looking for roughly the same thing, and it works badly for non-monogamy, because the shape of a local community determines almost everything about how you will experience it.
In Bristol the community runs on a long-established monthly social group and arriving through it changes how you are received. In Perth a large share of members work fly-in fly-out rosters, so asymmetric availability is normal rather than a warning sign. In Montreal the scene operates largely in French with its own vocabulary. In Somerville, Massachusetts a multi-partner domestic partnership is a legal instrument you can actually register. None of that is visible from a search radius.
What each country guide covers
- How the community is organised locally. Whether it runs on public meetups, private networks, events or nothing much at all.
- The legal backdrop. What is lawful, what is recognised, and where the gaps are, stated as background rather than advice.
- Where it concentrates. The neighbourhoods, cities and regions that actually hold the community.
- What members expect. Local conventions around directness, discretion, disclosure and pace, which vary more between markets than people assume.
The countries
All six are treated as first-class markets rather than as one primary and five extensions. Each has its own community guide and its own set of city pages.
Community guides by country
Start here if you are new to a market, or if you are considering a move.
Cities in the United States
Five metropolitan areas with enough density that dating is a matter of choosing rather than searching.
Cities in the United Kingdom
Britain's community is unusually well distributed, and several smaller cities carry more than their size predicts.
Cities in Australia
Australian non-monogamy is a capital-city phenomenon, and the distances between them shape everything.
Cities in Canada
Canada's city communities differ more from each other than in any other country we cover.
Cities in New Zealand
A small country with a dense, well-connected community, and several cities within driving distance of each other.
Cities in Ireland
Dublin dominates, and the smaller Irish scenes are more substantial than their size suggests.
Where we operate, answered
Which countries does Open Relationships cover?
Six English-speaking markets: the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Ireland. Each has its own community guide, and the five largest cities in each have a dedicated page covering the local scene.
Why do you have city pages rather than just a search radius?
Because the shape of a local community determines most of what you will experience. Whether a scene runs on public meetups or private networks, how far people realistically travel, and what the local conventions around discretion are all vary enormously and none of it is visible from a distance filter.
Which country has the strongest legal position for non-monogamous families?
Canada, on parentage specifically. Newfoundland and Labrador granted three adults in a polyamorous relationship legal parental status in 2018, and British Columbia and Ontario now allow more than two legal parents in some circumstances. The United States has gone furthest on municipal domestic partnership recognition.
What if I do not live in one of these cities?
Every country guide covers how members outside the main cities generally search, which usually means a wider radius and being explicit about how far and how often you will travel. In several markets, regional searching is the standard approach rather than a compromise.
Find your plus-one, two, or three
Join members across six countries who have already stated what they are looking for.
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