Our America poly documentary: Incredible job!

Our America with Lisa Ling (Oprah Winfrey Network)


What an incredible job Lisa Ling did with this one-hour show last night!

It followed three successful, living-together polyfamilies of somewhat different styles, full of articulate, intelligent, and deeply good-hearted people — and gave them free rein to express themselves naturally and well. For example, watch this 4:30 segment with one of the families, the "Philadelphia W":

I Love You & You... & You: How To Create a Polyamorous Family

Philadelphia couple Gina and Wes discuss how they transitioned from a monogamous duo into a polyamorous "W" -- a five some in which three other people live in their home with the possibility of adding more partners in the future.

And here's a 3-minute outtake (which didn't make the cut for the show, which was only one hour long) on the Northwest triad and their 11-year-old daughter:

Deleted Scenes: Polyamorous Family Raising 11 Year-Old Girl

Regina discusses being a poly mom to her 11 year-old daughter Colleen, and shares the benefits of having multiple partners when it comes to parenting.

And here's the third family, my dear friends Robyn and Jesus (Chuy) of Loving More, who were were shown in the process of bringing in and integrating a new third. This is another outtake, in which they discuss Loving More. The segment is titled "National Organization for Polyamory Awareness" (2:00):

Deleted Scenes: National Organization for Polyamory Awareness

After discovering polyamory awareness website Loving More in the 1990s, Robyn found comfort and support from a community she felt she was meant to be a part of. Now the Executive Director of the site, Robyn explains its mission and the growth of the poly community in America today.

Here's another segment that did make the show, in which Regina of the Northwest triad organizes a local poly discussion and support group and we see area people coming together to share their views and concerns. Narrator Lisa Ling has an insight: "With this group, something is coming clear to me. Poly isn't just a way of loving. It's a way of living."

I Love You & You... & You: Polyamorous Adults Join Discussion

After being involved in the polyamorous lifestyle for a few years, Regina created a discussion group where this subculture can let down their guard and be completely open about their relationships and struggles.

As of now the whole show is scheduled to re-air Tuesday night March 12 at 9 p.m. and midnight Eastern time. Schedule. Channel finder. First aired March 5, 2013.

Here's the episode's web page. Go get some comments up. Especially in the post-show conversation section.

See earlier trailers, and advance reports from some of the people who are in it.

Gotta run and go to work now. I may add updates later.

Updates:

● At Gawker.com, Rich Juzwiak (the guy who reviewed the Polyamory: Married and Dating series last summer) writes,

This week's probing episode of OWN's Our America with Lisa Ling focused on polyamory. In a brash Barbara Walters-esque style, Ling asked several of the profiled subjects what it's like to be considered perverts and freaks by mainstream society for loving multiple people. It was almost cartoonishly rude, but it gave the opportunity for what all seem like reasonable, well-adjusted people to give reasonable, well-adjusted answers about their way of life....

"There's nothing wrong with what you're doing. It's not something to hide or be ashamed of. Loving people, however you love them, is not a bad thing," said one correct person....

Whole article (March 6, 2013).

● Here's Regina of the Northwest V posting about the whole experience on their blogsite, Polytripod.

● Lisa Ling tells her own feelings in an interview on the new sexuality/lifestyle podcast DVDASA:

Lisa: Have I ever pursued a swinging relationship or polyamorous thing? I haven't, but, I feel richer for knowing about it, and it's made my conversations with people, and even made conversations with my husband a lot more open and communicative, and I feel like if we ever got to a point in our relationship where it was like, you know, I don't know if your necessarily fulfilling all of my needs, and he felt that way, I feel like we could kind of talk through it, it wouldn't be as black and white as like I'm gonna cheat on you, or we need to break up. Maybe there are other options.

● A blogger's snappy comments on why she likes the show.

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