West Hollywood approves legal protections for polyamorous relationships

West Hollywood, a city of approximately 35,000 residents in Los Angeles County, has become the latest US municipality to offer legal protections for polyamorous relationships. The five-member council unanimously approved an ordinance on Tuesday, granting such relationships legal recognition. This move occurred amid the Democratic landslide in the midterm elections across the United States.

West Hollywood, known for its progressive stance on LGBTQ+ relationships and alternative lifestyles, has implemented this relatively limited ordinance compared to the rights provided by marriage or domestic partnerships in many states. However, registering a polyamorous relationship with the city confers certain benefits, such as hospital visitation rights and tenant protections.

The city's ordinance allows individuals residing outside West Hollywood's jurisdiction to register, potentially legitimizing their unions even if their own municipalities do not. Several members of the public submitted positive comments to the council, expressing their appreciation for the council's leadership in recognizing diverse family and relationship structures.

Similar registries for polyamorous relationships have been established in Somerville and Cambridge, Massachusetts, among other California cities like Berkeley and Oakland, which also prohibit discrimination based on alternative family structures.