- HGTV's "House Hunters" — a show about people searching for their dream house — featured a "throuple" for the first time in the show's 17-season history.
- A "throuple" is a relationship between three people where each person dates each other. The relationship style falls under the umbrella of non-monogamous dating.
- Two members of the throuple, Brian and Lori, are legally married and fell in love with their third partner Geli.
- Advocates like writer Roxane Gay are praising the show for is a step towards full representation of different family styles on House Hunters.
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Finding a house with enough space is a common concern for the couples and families on "House Hunters." But trying to find a home that can accommodate the needs of a "throuple" — or relationship between three people where each person dates each other — is a first for the HGTV series.
The show made history last week, portraying a non-monogamous family structure for the first time in the show's 17-season history.
Two members of the throuple, Brian and Lori, are legally married and fell in love with their third partner Geli. The three had a commitment ceremony where they exchanged vows and celebrated their love alongside their children and friends.
The episode — aptly-titled "Three's Not a Crowd in Colorado Springs" — showcased some of the specific needs that the throuple had when searching for their dream home like a large kitchen and a three-car garage.
"This is a couple's kitchen, not a throuple's kitchen," Lori said looking at the limited counter space better suited to two people cooking rather than three.
Omar Lopez/Unsplash
The trio ended up selecting a large, slightly out-of-budget house with a beautiful view of the mountains as the perfect home to suit their unique family, including a master bathroom with three sinks.
Some viewers of the show praised it for its step towards more inclusive representation for polyamorous and non-monogamous people.
"Oh my god. A throuple on House Hunters," Bad Feminist author Roxane Gay tweeted. "Great episode!!!! Educational."
Another Twitter user wrote, "HGTV really might be the most progressive show on TV. About to watch a polyamory couple fight over a house! Honestly I feel like I learned a lot #HouseHunters"
The rise of polyamorous people on TV as more people consider monogamous dating styles
Polyamorous dating dynamics have existed throughout history but rarely appear on television or mainstream media in general. And when they do, they're rarely healthy non-monogamous dynamics.
Shows like "Big Love" and "Sister Wives" portrayed all non-monogamous relationships as multiple women dating the same man and attempting to live in disgruntled "harmony" and really resembled polygamy, not polyamory.
But public opinion of non-monogamy is changing. A study published September 2019 even found that most people have fantasized about being in a non-monogamous relationship. And popular celebrities like Bella Thorne and Tana Mongeau have spoken openly about practicing non-monogamy.
Popular TV shows are also starting to make the shift in representation, with "The L Word: Generation Q" breaking barriers and featuring a lesbian throuple storyline earlier this year.
As more celebrities come out as polyamorous like Bella Thorne and Baron Vaughn, more representations of ethical non-monogamy may continue to appear in popular television and film.
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