Once again, however, sex isn't the primary focus of a polyamorous relationship. The goal is to build meaningful long-term relationships, much like a traditional marriage – only more than two people participate. These relationships can last as long as a traditional marriage, but they may lack the expectation that the relationship is a lifelong commitment. One of the major challenges of a polyamorous relationship is societal expectation – it's obviously an unconventional arrangement, and friends and family may reject the idea. Legal protections are absent for polyamorous relationships, so they do not enjoy the benefits of marriage. Personal issues that may arise in the relationships include jealousy, possessiveness and a desire to conform to cultural norms. The participants in a polyamorous relationship may establish a set of rules, which all participants are expected to follow. Those may include scheduling times when each partner spends time with another in the relationship, when and with whom participants may have sex and living arrangements.
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