West Hollywood approves polyamorous relationship protections

West Hollywood's city council unanimously approved legal protections for polyamorous relationships through a new domestic partnership registry on November 3.

The ordinance recognises multi-partner family structures in the Los Angeles County city of about 35,000 people. Polyamory is the practice of maintaining multiple committed, consensual relationships.

The protections are more limited than marriage rights or many state domestic partnership laws. Registering a polyamorous relationship with the city will allow certain rights, including hospital visitation and tenant protections.

People who live outside West Hollywood will also be allowed to register. Supporters told council members they hoped the ordinance would become a model for other cities.

Somerville and Cambridge in Massachusetts have created similar registries in recent years. West Hollywood has also joined at least Berkeley and Oakland in California in banning discrimination based on alternative family structures.