Advocacy Groups Launch Coordinated Effort to Expand Legal Protections For Polyamorous and Chosen Families Nationwide
BERKELEY, CA; CAMBRIDGE, MA - A coalition of advocacy organizations serving non-monogamous and non-nuclear families today announced a coordinated campaign to advance local protections against family structure discrimination. The effort builds on recent victories in Berkeley and Oakland, CA and Somerville and Cambridge, MA where city councils have passed ordinances prohibiting discrimination in housing, employment, and public accommodations based on family or relationship structure.
The campaign, led by the Chosen Family Law Center, Harvard Law School LGBTQ+ Advocacy Clinic, Modern Family Institute, Organization for Polyamory and Ethical Non-monogamy (OPEN), and the Polyamory Legal Advocacy Coalition (PLAC), will provide communities with advocacy resources and direct support for advancing similar protections.
The proposed ordinances prohibit discrimination based on "family or relationship structure" in housing, employment, and public accommodations. These protections cover individuals in consensually non-monogamous relationships, as well as those in non-nuclear family arrangements including blended families, multigenerational households, single-parents-by-choice, and children of LGBTQIA+ parents. Somerville and Cambridge, Massachusetts passed these protections in 2023, followed by Berkeley and Oakland, California in early 2024, marking the first such protections in their respective states.
"These protections address pervasive discrimination faced by non-monogamous individuals and non-nuclear families in housing, employment, healthcare, and more," said Brett Chamberlin, Executive Director of OPEN. "Cities are increasingly recognizing that all families and relationships deserve protection, regardless of their structure."
“Especially now, it is critical to encourage local communities to do all they can to protect the diverse families that live in their jurisdictions,” said Alexander Chen, Founding Director of the Harvard LGBTQ+ Advocacy Clinic. “Tools that empower individuals to get involved in our political system and advocate for full representation and equal treatment before the law are vital to bolstering our fragile democracy.”
Diana Adams (they/them), Executive Director of Chosen Family Law Center and PLAC Co-Founder, commented: “Our laws related to family usually presume nuclear families and couples, despite the fact that the majority of U.S. adults live in other family forms. Our movement to celebrate the diverse reality of families and offer them legal protection brings together the shared interests of LGBTQIA+ communities, polyamorous families, platonic partnerships, step-parent families, and multi-generational families that are frequent in immigrant communities. We all need and deserve to choose the family relationships that bring us support and have those relationships legally respected.”
Rachael Purtell (she/her), Research and Development Lead of Modern Family Institute commented: “Although I’m still a fairly young activist, when I first felt called to action several years ago, I was overwhelmed and didn’t have clear direction on how to most effectively contribute to social change. I knew I had the capacity to fight but wasn’t sure how and I was so fortunate to find seasoned mentors, some of whom made this resource possible, that taught me how to use my voice. My hope is that this toolkit will provide direction and clarity to empower budding changemakers who just haven’t been as lucky as I.”
Kimberly Rhoten, Esq. (they/them/theirs), Co-Founder of the Polyamory Legal Advocacy Coalition (PLAC) and LGBTQ+ Policy Advocate: “With growing uncertainty at the federal level, it has never been more important for cities and states to step up and protect the rights of all families. Local action has always been a powerful force for change, and right now, it's our best tool to safeguard the dignity and safety of non-nuclear families. This movement isn't about abstract ideals—it's about ensuring that real people, in real communities, are treated with fairness and respect in their homes, workplaces, and daily lives.”
Andy Izenson, Esq. (they/them), Senior Legal Director of the Chosen Family Law Center, PLAC co-founder, and Harvard Law School LGBTQ+ Advocacy Clinic Staff Attorney:” We applaud the grassroots activists who have already taken advocacy for their families into their own hand in all of the diverse, creative, and revolutionary ways they do. As the legal arm of the movement for family diversity, we are thrilled to be making public resources and education to empower our communities to assert at every level of society and government that we will not be erased.”
“Legislation like this is only one way our families can find recognition and protection. We must stand united for families of all constellations in the face of oppression; we must support growing and learning and loving in all the ways families do.“ said Heron Greenesmith (they), co-founder of PLAC, Deputy Director of Policy at the Transgender Law Center. “
The coalition will launch their coordinated effort with a virtual training on February 13, 2025, featuring legislators who championed successful ordinances alongside policy experts and grassroots organizers.