UW-Milwaukee tells students polyamory has many 'benefits' like extra pets, or 'petamours'

The University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee’s LGBTQ+ Resource Center recently posted an Instagram infographic regarding one of the “hidden gems” of polyamory: “petamours.”

The post defines “petamours” as “a pet you get to enjoy due to being part of a polyamorous relationship or polycule.” The term is a portmanteau of the words “metamour,” which the Polyamory Dictionary defines as “[someone] that your romantic partner is in such a relationship with, but you are not,” and pet.

The post distinguishes between the terms “polyamorous relationship” and “polycule,” defining the former as “a relationship where at least [one] person is consensually involved with more than one partner” and the latter as “a label to describe all people connected in or by” a relationship in which more than two people are involved.

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“Along with bonding with your [metamours], you get to meet and love their pets, too,” the infographic continues. “Petamours can also be a way to see if pet ownership is right for you. You also might bond with a new type of pet and fall in love!”

A “downside” of petamours, the infographic concludes, is the grief of losing a pet when a relationship ends.

“When you create a strong bond with a pet, it can be hard to lose that connection. Depending on the situation, you might even miss your petamour more than your ex-partner or [metamours].”

This is not the first time that Campus Reform has reported on institutes of higher education promoting polyamory.

In 2017, Campus Reform reported that the University of North Florida planned to host a workshop titled “Polyamory vs. Cheating: Lessons from a Former Serial Monogamist” as a part of its annual “Sex Week.”

[RELATED: ‘O’ My! UF students invited to paint their sexual experiences at ‘Sexxx Week’]

The university described the event as providing “outreach, education, and support for those involved in or seeking relationships with non-traditional structures.” The event framed polyamory “as an alternative to cheating” and was designed for students who identified as “poly-curious.”

The school later canceled this workshop along with several others, including one titled “Love Without Limits.” 

“[We] were concerned that the issues of consent, safety, and healthy relationships were being lost in the week’s activities,” a spokesperson for the school stated, citing the apparent original purpose of the school’s Sex Week. The school also reassured Campus Reform that “no taxpayer money, tuition, or student fees” were used for the purposes of the event.

Campus Reform has reached out to all individuals and groups mentioned for comment and will update accordingly.