The CPAA Calls On the Canadian Psychological Association to Adopt American Psychological Association Progress in Consensual Non-Monogamy (Polyamory)
January 21, 2021 – In 2013 a temporary Task Force on Consensual Non-Monogamy was created by the American Psychological Association’s Division 44 comprised of psychologists and researchers in psychology which in 2018 expanded to work alongside polyamorous activists who advocate for better care of polyamory within the counseling psychology fields.
That Task Force has announced (www.facebook.com/heath12/posts/10108290525612180) that it is now a permanent committee, which represents a leveling-up of the status and legitimacy of polyamory within the field of psychology and counselling relationships in the US.
“The Canadian Polyamory Advocacy Association calls for that task force’s work to be carried over into the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA),” said Zoe Duff, spokesperson for the CPAA.
The American Psychological Association (APA) Division 44 Task Force on Consensual Non-Monogamy promotes awareness and inclusivity about consensual non-monogamy and diverse expressions of intimate relationships. These include but are not limited to: people who practice polyamory, open relationships, swinging, relationship anarchy and other types of ethical non-monogamous relationships.
The APA is US based but has membership in the United States and Canada. “The CPA, in partnership with the American Psychological Association, quarterly publishes three academic journals”.
It was only recently in 2011, that BC’s Supreme Court released the landmark ruling that Section 293 of the Criminal Code of Canada (the so called “anti-polygamy law”) does not apply to unformalized polyamorous relationships, opening inroads into making polyamory more popular and accepted in mainstream society across Canada.
Polyamory is the practice, desire, or acceptance of having more than one intimate relationship at a time with the knowledge and consent of everyone involved. Concepts critical to the practice of consent and other ethical behaviours within polyamory are gender equality, self-determination, free choice for all involved, mutual trust, and equal respect among partners.
The CPAA advocates on behalf of Canadians who practice polyamory. It promotes legal, social, government, and institutional acceptance and support of polyamory, and advances the interests of the Canadian polyamorous community generally.