Happy Happy New Year! I’m going to hold it in my heart that 2020 is gonna be a better year for us all.
Grey White’s back today to keep you edu-tained inbetween celebrations and hangovers (and to cover us on our 2nd week of our 6 week vacation) with this adorably helpful comic on polyamory! Grey previously made us a comic on Fursuits that you should totally check out!
We’ve covered a handful of polyamorous comics over the years, but this is the first one to really crack it open into an education subject. We really hope you like it – I think Grey did a stellar job getting all that dense info into a comic.
Wanna read more of our poly comics? Check some of these out!
– Love Radiated by Jem
– Open to Change by GlitchedPuppet
– A Little Poly Story by Danielle Corsetto
– Sara Valta’s first year of Polyamory
↓ Comic Transcript
PAGE 1
Today's anthropomorphic comic is shaded in tones of gray. Grey White is a cute, small cartoony nonbinary/masculine badger with a giant wave of hair who alternates between the pronouns "he" and "they". Their fluffy bear companion towers over them both in stature and with a froofed-up bouffant, and answers to "they/them" pronouns. They sit outside in a grassy park on a bench.
"Nice date spot!" Bear congratulates Grey.
"Hey thanks!" Replies the wee badger.
Tentatively, Bear starts to say, "I've never been on a date with someone who is polyamorous, and I'm curious about how it works..."
"You came to the right badger!" Grey exclaims. "I love to love Polyamory! Poly = "Many", "Amor = "Love" I'm polyamorous! That means I maintain more than one intimate relationship with the knowledge and consent of everyone involved."
PAGE TWO
"Does that mean your partners have other relationships, too?" Awkwardly asks Bear.
"Yeah! My partner's other mates are called my metamours." Grey explains in front of a graph showing the connections between their girlfriend, their boyfriend, the boyfriend's other partner, and the boyfriend's other *other* partner. "This whole web of relationships is called a polycule (like a molecule, isn't that cute?)
CAPTION: Some polycules are quite close-knit...
IMAGE: Three other anthro characters are snuggled together in bed.
CAPTION: ...while others are more parallel.
IMAGE: A bunny fondly waves good bye as their lemur partner heads off with another goat person, who both, in turn, smile back at the bunny. Everyone is clearly on good terms.
"There are infinite ways to have a polycule," Grey continues to Bear on the park bench. "and non of them are wrong! The specific configuration matters less than the presence of strong and clear communication."
PAGE THREE
"Communication is that important?" Asks Bear.
"VERY important!" Grey reiterates.
CAPTION: Healthy polyamory depends entirely on communication. Especially when it's difficult!
IMAGE: Two characters are in the midst of a serious conversation.
Now donning a pair of X-ray glasses, Grey can see the brain inside of another character's silhouette and continues, "You cannot read your partner's mind, and they can't read yours!"
CAPTION: Talking openly and honestly about your thoughts and feelings with your partner is vital. Remember, you're both on the same team!
IMAGE: A crying mouse person is comforted by a concerned person, who paths their shoulder.
"I would have trouble..." Bear winces and fidgets with his paws. "I struggle with jealousy."
"Oh, same." Grey reassures them.
PAGE FOUR
Shrugging, Grey adds helpfully, "Just because someone practices polyamory, doesn't mean they're immune to jealousy or insecurity!"
CAPTION: Polyamory provides opportunities to compare yourself to others, and that can lead to feelings of inadequacy. But it doesn't have to!
IMAGE: Far in the distance, a little person watches in heartbreak as their partner snuggles up with somebody else.
CAPTION: I can't fulfill 100% of my partner's wants and needs. No one can, and that's ok!
IMAGE: Pie charts illustrate how the wants and needs of two character do not add up to be 100% full.
CAPTION: But if I team up with a metamour, we can work together to meet many more wants and needs!
IMAGE: With the introduction of a third character, now the pie charts add up to 100%
Continuing on, Grey explains, "there are lots of aspects of my relationships that I treasure - sexual and emotional exclusivity just isn't one of those things."
CAPTION: I know how good it feels to love my partner, and to be loved by them. Why would I deny someone else that incredible experience?
IMAGE: Gray presents a gift to their partner.
PAGE FIVE
"A polycule is like a fan club for one of your most favorite people!" Wearing a party hat and gesturing at their other partners, Grey exclaims, "How cool is that?! All in all, polyamory has just as many challenges as monogamy, just different ones. It may not be the standarrd but it's what works for me and my loved ones."
"That's really sweet," Bear says. "I'm happy you're happy."
"Thanks!" Grey replies.
"Hey, you wanna get pizza?" Bear asks, now only visible as a silhouette from behind on the park bench.
"YEAH I DO" Cheers the silhouette of Grey.
Transcribed July 1, 2024 by Erika Moen
PAGE 1
Today's anthropomorphic comic is shaded in tones of gray. Grey White is a cute, small cartoony nonbinary/masculine badger with a giant wave of hair who alternates between the pronouns "he" and "they". Their fluffy bear companion towers over them both in stature and with a froofed-up bouffant, and answers to "they/them" pronouns. They sit outside in a grassy park on a bench.
"Nice date spot!" Bear congratulates Grey.
"Hey thanks!" Replies the wee badger.
Tentatively, Bear starts to say, "I've never been on a date with someone who is polyamorous, and I'm curious about how it works..."
"You came to the right badger!" Grey exclaims. "I love to love Polyamory! Poly = "Many", "Amor = "Love" I'm polyamorous! That means I maintain more than one intimate relationship with the knowledge and consent of everyone involved."
PAGE TWO
"Does that mean your partners have other relationships, too?" Awkwardly asks Bear.
"Yeah! My partner's other mates are called my metamours." Grey explains in front of a graph showing the connections between their girlfriend, their boyfriend, the boyfriend's other partner, and the boyfriend's other *other* partner. "This whole web of relationships is called a polycule (like a molecule, isn't that cute?)
CAPTION: Some polycules are quite close-knit...
IMAGE: Three other anthro characters are snuggled together in bed.
CAPTION: ...while others are more parallel.
IMAGE: A bunny fondly waves good bye as their lemur partner heads off with another goat person, who both, in turn, smile back at the bunny. Everyone is clearly on good terms.
"There are infinite ways to have a polycule," Grey continues to Bear on the park bench. "and non of them are wrong! The specific configuration matters less than the presence of strong and clear communication."
PAGE THREE
"Communication is that important?" Asks Bear.
"VERY important!" Grey reiterates.
CAPTION: Healthy polyamory depends entirely on communication. Especially when it's difficult!
IMAGE: Two characters are in the midst of a serious conversation.
Now donning a pair of X-ray glasses, Grey can see the brain inside of another character's silhouette and continues, "You cannot read your partner's mind, and they can't read yours!"
CAPTION: Talking openly and honestly about your thoughts and feelings with your partner is vital. Remember, you're both on the same team!
IMAGE: A crying mouse person is comforted by a concerned person, who paths their shoulder.
"I would have trouble..." Bear winces and fidgets with his paws. "I struggle with jealousy."
"Oh, same." Grey reassures them.
PAGE FOUR
Shrugging, Grey adds helpfully, "Just because someone practices polyamory, doesn't mean they're immune to jealousy or insecurity!"
CAPTION: Polyamory provides opportunities to compare yourself to others, and that can lead to feelings of inadequacy. But it doesn't have to!
IMAGE: Far in the distance, a little person watches in heartbreak as their partner snuggles up with somebody else.
CAPTION: I can't fulfill 100% of my partner's wants and needs. No one can, and that's ok!
IMAGE: Pie charts illustrate how the wants and needs of two character do not add up to be 100% full.
CAPTION: But if I team up with a metamour, we can work together to meet many more wants and needs!
IMAGE: With the introduction of a third character, now the pie charts add up to 100%
Continuing on, Grey explains, "there are lots of aspects of my relationships that I treasure - sexual and emotional exclusivity just isn't one of those things."
CAPTION: I know how good it feels to love my partner, and to be loved by them. Why would I deny someone else that incredible experience?
IMAGE: Gray presents a gift to their partner.
PAGE FIVE
"A polycule is like a fan club for one of your most favorite people!" Wearing a party hat and gesturing at their other partners, Grey exclaims, "How cool is that?! All in all, polyamory has just as many challenges as monogamy, just different ones. It may not be the standarrd but it's what works for me and my loved ones."
"That's really sweet," Bear says. "I'm happy you're happy."
"Thanks!" Grey replies.
"Hey, you wanna get pizza?" Bear asks, now only visible as a silhouette from behind on the park bench.
"YEAH I DO" Cheers the silhouette of Grey.
Transcribed July 1, 2024 by Erika Moen