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We all know the script: You meet someone. You date. You eventually say “I love you.” Pretty soon, you’re on the relationship escalator: moving in together, getting married and living the life that everyone dreams of. For generations, this script also assumed monogamy. 

But this episode is not about the “relationship escalator.” This episode features stories about how we discover our own preferences when it comes to sexual exclusivity and the different ways queer people define relationships. 

James (S1E2) - Monogamous at first but never again; Dan (S3E16) - Giving up the relationship escalator; Mike (S3E19) - Sex doesn’t have to be relationship-defining; Aditya (S2E2) - “I’m most against something the day before I do it.”; Anders (S2E6) - A sick cat and solo polyamory; Nayland (S2E4) - Finding a polycule after age 40; Paul (S3E5) - “You want to stay together, right?” “Of course I do.”; Nathan S. (S3E13) - Transactional intimacy & Vulnerability; Lilian (S4E5) - Group intimacy; Mike (S3E19) - “I’ll try anything twice.”; Dan (S3E16) - Empathic Metamorph; Ari (S4E3) - Discovering kink and polyamory after 3 long-term monogamous relationships; Justin (S4E1) - Sex is too big to share with just one person; Mike (S3E19) - the origin of a throuple.

This episode was edited and hosted by Dave Quantic, Fruitbowl’s creator and producer. Ryan Weadon did the music editing and final mix. Thanks Ryan! 

Support independent queer media by donating to Fruitbowl and help us in our mission to record, archive and share personal stories about queer coming of age. Learn more at www.fruitbowlpodcast.com/donate. 

Promoting a podcast about queer sex is an uphill battle when it comes to social media. Tell your friends about Fruitbowl, rate us on your podcast platform or write a review on Apple Podcast. Every little bit helps. https://linktr.ee/fruitbowlpod. 

Are you a young queer person in crisis or maybe you just need someone to talk to? Learn more about The Trevor Project HERE (https://www.thetrevorproject.org/get-help/).

Fruitbowl’s fruit artwork for Season 5 was created by Nathan Richards.IG: @Paperwombat.