New York City Council considers protections for nonmonogamous families

The New York City Council is currently weighing legislation that would add “nonmonogamous families” as a protected group under the city’s Human Rights Law. The proposed measure aims to extend legal protections to multi-partner relationships to prevent discrimination in areas such as housing and custody disputes.

Advocates for the bill, including the Polyamory Legal Advocacy Coalition (PLAC), argue that current city laws do not protect these families from discrimination. Supporters state that protections should apply “regardless of the number of people involved in a relationship or the nature of their emotional or caregiving bonds,” provided the relationship is lawful. Proponents cite data suggesting that a significant percentage of U.S. adults and millennials identify as practicing non-monogamy.