Gabriela De Golia: Polyamory & Consensual Non-Monogamy

There is a great deal of work being done in many Christian denominations to make them more welcoming, open, and affirming. While there is still a long way to go in making the church a safer and more inclusive space, much has been done along that path. However, one group of folks that still feels ostracized in many communities is those who practice polyamory and/or consensual non-monogamy.

Gabriela De Golia is someone on the forefront of doing work to make space for those folks, both within church communities and in our wider culture. She recently wrote a paper called Polyamory and Consensual Non-Monogamy in the United Church of Christ: the Next Frontier of a Radically Welcoming, Open and Affirming Denomination, and she is here today to talk through some of her research, but mostly to help us gain a deeper understanding of what polyamory and consensual non-monogamy are, and what is needed to create more inclusive spaces.

In shaping this series on relationships, it has been important to us to be as inclusive and abundant as possible in our representation of what relationships are and what they look like. We have explored friendship, heterosexual marriage, divorce, queer relationship, parenting, the choice to not parent, and so much more. We are so grateful to have another form of relationship represented here, and we are grateful to Gabriela De Golia for coming on to share her knowledge, wisdom, and experience. 
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Gabriela De Golia is a young professional, writer, multi-media artist, and spiritual seeker who has found a home in Middletown, Connecticut. Gabriela identifies as a white, queer, disabled, nonbinary woman and uses both she and they pronouns. As a member of the Plum Village lineage of Zen Buddhism, the United Church of Christ, and contemporary witchcraft communities, Gabriela brings various spiritual traditions together within herself. She is passionate about blending activism with spiritual praxis and has assisted numerous communities in furthering social justice from a spiritually grounded place. Their work can be found at consultingwithmuses.com and @gabrieladegolia on Instagram.

Read Gabriela's paper: Polyamory and Consensual Non-Monogamy in the United Church of Christ: The Next Frontier of a Radically Welcoming, Open and Affirming Denomination