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W24 has curated six stories where real women share their experiences of being in polyamorous relationships on #ThisIsPolyamory.
If you would like to tell us your story, share it with us here.
In 2014, a 34-year-old professional dog trainer, Brandon Tidd, was doing his advanced training as a soldier in the military when he locked eyes with a 23-year-old woman soldier, Elizabeth, while they were both lined up in formation.
“When I was twenty-five, I was going through some intense life changes; I wasn’t happy where I was at all and wasn't happy doing what I was doing,” Brandon says.
“I decided to complete a lifelong dream and join the military. With my background as a firefighter and EMT, I was perfectly suited. After completing basic training, I went to advanced training and was lining up for formation when this young girl called Elizabeth stood next to me. I was almost twenty-seven, she was clearly younger than I was and very attractive," he says.
They began talking and instantly became close friends. Their friendship and mutual attraction quickly developed, and they began dating. Origninally Brendon was from from Oregon and Elizabeth from Wisconsin. It was on Valentine’s Day of 2015 when their relationship got serious and within a few months, he moved across the U.S. to be with Elizabeth after the distance between them became difficult.
Two years later, they got married and bought their first home together. They both run a Harry Potter role play website, with 10 active writers involved.
They formed a close friendship with one of the writers, resident assistant, Shannon from Ohio, USA, after Brandon began messaging her on the website.
Their friendship online grew even more and as she was living with her parents, Brandon and Elizabeth agreed to help her become independent, so they invited her to live with them until she found her own place.
The two women became best friends and Brendon also developed a similar platonic bond.
Brendon explains that when they first met their new love it only took one trip from Wisconsin to Ohio and they had acquired a roommate and a new best friend. “One day, after a little bit of drinking; a game of Truth or Dare turned interestingly fun and it had them kissing. Elizabeth was raised extremely Lutheran, so she had never done that before with a girl and was surprised she enjoyed it," he says.
“The next day, it happened again, but it went much further. That was the beginning of Elizabeth falling for Shannon and it grew from there. Friendship combining attraction.”
READ MORE: Are open relationships the new dating pool?
Brandon also found himself falling for Shannon and that was the beginning of their polyamorous relationship.
In 2018, both Brandon and Elizabeth proposed to Shannon using a heartfelt letter, penning down their feelings for her and took her to a paper lantern festival, which had been on her bucket list of things to do. In March 2019, Elizabeth fell pregnant with their first child and they got married in October 2019. Their baby is due on December 08.
Brandon says that while there was some jealousy in the beginning, the love and trust between them defused any negative feelings. “This life means that we communicate more than a normal couple. If one of us is off, we have two people to lean on. If two of us are fighting, we always have a referee. We remain equal and we all have a say,” he says.
READ MORE: Relationships that include 3 or more people - Women share their experiences with polyamory
“We make sure jealousy is not allowed in, and if there is an issue we stop and do a throuple ‘check in’. Usually led by me unless I am really upset. We just happen to all be people that fell in love with two people instead of just one," he says adding that none of them were looking to be in a ‘throuple’ and it just developed that way naturally, like with any couple.
“It's funny because people think living with two girls must be harder because of all the emotions, but with the way our dynamic works, all the of us haven't fought about anything," he says.
Current plans include moving to Oregon and going on lots of adventures with their dogs and daughter once she is born.
Would you be open enough to be in an unconventional relationship? Share your thoughts with us here.
SOURCES: MEDIADRUMWORLD/MAGAZINEFEATURES.CO.ZA
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