What's a polycule?
A polycule is a network of people connected through their relationships. For someone who's polyamorous, it's them, their partners, their partners' partners, and so on, as far out as they want to go.
Polyamory means having, or being open to, more than one loving relationship at a time, with everyone knowing about it. The word polycule comes from polyamory and molecule, because a drawing of one looks a bit like a molecule.
There's no rule about where a polycule ends. Some people mean everyone they're linked to, some only the people closest to them. Your polycule is whatever you'd draw.
New to some of these words? The glossary explains them plainly.
How to read a map
Each circle is a person, with their initials inside and their name underneath. Pronouns go under the name when they're filled in.
A line between two people is a connection. Each type of connection has its own line style, so you can tell them apart even in black and white. The legend under every map shows which is which.
Colors belong to people: each line fades from one person's color to the other's.
A ring around someone shows whose map it is. A soft outline around a few people shows they belong together, such as a plural system (more than one person sharing one body), a household or a group of friends.
People who share a partner don't get a line of their own. You can see from the map that they're metamours, which means each other's partner's partner.
The types of connection
There are five built-in types. Pick the one that fits best, and add a second connection only to show two different things. You can also add your own types, with whatever words you use.
- Partner
- Someone you're together with, romantically and usually sexually.
- Sam and I are dating, and we're in love. That's one Partner connection.
- Sexual or play
- A connection that's about sex or play (kink), rather than romance.
- Kai and I have sex or play together, and that's what our connection is about. It isn't romantic.
- Platonic or QPR
- A deep, committed connection that isn't romantic, or isn't only romantic. QPR stands for queerplatonic relationship.
- Alex and I aren't dating, but we've built our lives around each other. We're queerplatonic partners.
- Nesting partner
- A partner you live with or share a home base with.
- Robin and I are partners and we live together. One Nesting partner connection says both.
- Comet
- Someone who comes back into your life now and then.
- Jules lives far away. We see each other a few times a year, and it always feels like no time has passed.
Every shape is a normal shape
Polycules come in every shape and size: two people, a triangle, a long chain, a sprawling web of forty. Some people have one partner, some several. Some networks have a clear middle and some don't. No shape is better or more valid than another.
A few common shapes have names. You can read about each one and start your map from it:
- V: One person with two partners who aren't together.
- Triad: Three people who are all together.
- Quad: Four people in a ring, like two couples dating across.
- N: Two couples, linked by one connection.
Make one in three steps
Add people. Start with yourself, or anyone, then add the people they're connected to.
Connect them. Pick two people and choose the type of connection. The map arranges itself as it grows, and you can drag anyone to where you'd like them.
Share it. Send the image into a chat, or send a link that opens the whole map. Nothing leaves your browser unless you send it.