Kevin A. Patterson, M.Ed. (he/him)
Workshops
Kevin Patterson is an active member of the Philadelphia polyamory community. He's been practicing ethical nonmonogamy since August of 2002 after opening up a relationship that eventually became his marriage. In April of 2015, Kevin was inspired to start Poly Role Models, an interview series for people describing their experiences with polyamory.
Poly Role Models was part of a drive and a desire to change the way our lives and communities are viewed. To continue that discussion of polyamorous representation, Kevin has extended the blog's work into the writing of the book, Love's Not Color Blind: Race and Representation in Polyamorous and Other Alternative Communities. Along with co-writer Alana Phelan, Kevin launched a sci-fi novel series, For Hire, that centers characters of color as well as other marginalized identities.
All For One: Polyamorous Takes on Monogamous Breaks
April 12, 2024
In a mononormative culture, the existence of multiple attractions can trigger fight-or-flight responses in both the participants and the closely-involved onlookers. Whether we are talking about a brand-new crush, a rekindled interest, or a platonic friendship that blossomed into something more, every added connection is viewed first as a rivalry, a temptation, or a betrayal. As a result, we don’t always have a clear mind on what positive, informative, or critical data the experience is giving us. Minus the rivalry, consensual non-monogamy allows us to examine that data and what it can tell us about ourselves, our partners, and the nature of our relationships.
This session will examine how much we can learn from the existence of multiple attractions (when cooler heads prevail) and how much of that info we can use to benefit our relationships, regardless of lovestyle.