Society is always changing. As our technology boomed, so did our abilities, and with that, our desires. Traditional ways of being are now being seen as rigid and restricting, and we yearn for lifestyles that facilitate the freedom we know we deserve. A lot of this has to do with how we perceive love, and relationships. Willow Smith, daughter of Will Smith revealed how she is polyamorous.
What Does Being Polyamorous Mean?
In the traditional sense, based on old-school ideals, when people get into a relationship they stay committed to each other. This is called monogamy. It means that if they were to get into any sexual or romantic activities with someone else, it would be considered cheating or being unfaithful. This can be hurtful to one another, especially if one of the two is more committed than the other.
According to many, a more modern approach to love and relationships is being polyamorous. This means that the couple is open to engaging with other people but they both understand that they share a mutual commitment to each other’s love, but not restricting themselves from exploring at the same time. Some people who are steadfast monogamists might call this cheating, but polyamorists disagree. The act of being unfaithful is actually according to a vow to be faithful, but if their vow is to love each other without restraint, then is it really cheating?
Willow Smith is Polyamorous
Willow Smith is 21 years old and she already has her mind made up. In April 2021 she sat beside her mother, Jada Pinkett-Smith, and her grandmother, Adrienne Banfield-Norrison during one show of Red Table Talk (an American TV show) and opened up about how she sees herself as polymerous. She was very clearly unashamed of her views on love and relationships.
“With polyamory, I feel like the main foundation is the freedom to be able to create a relationship style that works for you and not just stepping into monogamy because that’s what everyone around you says is the right thing to do, “said Willow.
Read: Petition To Stop Interviewing Will and Jada Smith Gets Over 23,000 Signatures
She clearly is someone who craves individualism
Willow believes she knows why there is such a high divorce rate. She said, “Also, doing research into polyamory,” she added, “the main [reason] …why divorces happen is infidelity.”
At one stage during the show, Willow’s grandmother expressed her view on polyamorous relationships. She sees them as being centered around sex. Willow disagreed by sharing a personal example “I mean, I’ll give you an example. Let’s say you haven’t always been the kind of person that wanted to have sex all the time. But your partner is. Are you gonna be the person to say, you know, ‘Just because I don’t have these needs, you can’t have them either?'”
Willow continued, “And so that’s kind of one of the reasons why I actually was interested in poly because I was introduced to it through kind of a nonsexual lens. In my friend group, I’m the only polyamorous person, and I have the least sex out of all of my friends.”
Willow Smith’s Family’s Views on Her Relationship Preferences
We know Jada Pinkett-Smith is married to Will Smith, and they are in a loving monogamous relationship, even if it has had its fair share of negative press. However, she did express her views on her daughter’s preference to live a polyamorous lifestyle. In her view, she thinks that people often “feel like they have no other choice” so they are monogamous because that is the norm. This might be so for some people, but as society is growing, the monogamous concept is “deeply antiquated and no longer works.”
Her grandmother said that she is baffled by Willow’s way of life. She struggles to come to terms with how one can equally love more than one person romantically. That being said, she admitted on the show that she I open to the concept, and that she and her husband, Rodney, had even “ad a conversation,” about it.
Willow Smith’s View on Marriage
During the show, Willow even spoke about her views on marriage. She said that she only sees it as a useful agreement, and she would only get married for financial reasons. “The history of marriage really irks me,” said Willow, “Just the history of marriage as a whole and what it has represented over the years, for women in particular.” Her mother clearly supports her wishes.“As long as you are learning to have the greatest love affair with Willow, I’m OK with whatever you do.” Jada Said.
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Sources
- “Willow Smith details her lifestyle on ‘Red Table Talk’: What you should know about polyamory.” USA Today. David Oliver. April 28, 2021
- “Willow Smith announces she is polyamorous on ‘Red Table Talk,’ reveals ‘only’ reason she would get married.” Good Morning America. April 28, 2021