Woman in ‘Vee relationship’ answers question everyone always ask

After realizing that monogamy wasn’t for her, a 36-year-old woman and her husband – who she married when she was 20 – invited another man into what she calls a “vee relationship” – and now, she’s revealing how it works and what it really means.

Jennifer Martin and her husband Daniel first met at church when they were just 18. By 20, they were married, and by 25, they were parents to two children, now aged 11 and 13.

From the outside, it seemed like the perfect family life – but Martin says she was struggling and feeling “out of place.”

“I was discovering things about myself, including the fact that my ability to develop attraction to multiple people,” Martin told Business Insider.

She was honest with her husband about what she was feeling and expressed that she couldn’t “do monogamy for the rest of her life.”

“I didn’t want to cheat on my husband,” she explained. “But I knew my needs had changed.”

Faced with this reality, she and Daniel made a bold decision – instead of ending their marriage, they would explore polyamory.

Discovering polyamory

In 2016, the couple opened their marriage and joined a local family-friendly polyamory group, which she claimed, “helped normalize it for my kids at a young age,” who at the time were six and three.

“I think it’s very beneficial to be open about it with our children. Secrecy implies shame, and I refuse to be ashamed that I’m polyamorous. My children are just as loved, safe, and secure as children with monogamous parents,” she said.

Ty comes along

In 2018, Martin started dating Ty, and only two years later – just before the pandemic – the man moved in with the couple and their children.

“We didn’t think we’d live with future partners. But when I met Ty in 2018, my perspective began to change. The five of us became very close-knit, like a family,” she explained.

The family had already spent significant time together, but as lockdowns forced them to bunker down under one roof, their bond deepened. Soon, Martin’s children began to see Ty as a parent figure as well.

Under one roof

Living together meant establishing a unique routine. Martin splits her nights evenly between her two partners’ bedrooms, carrying a basket of personal items between the rooms.

“This sleeping arrangement was ‘one of the first things we landed on when we all moved in together,’” Ty said, per the Sun.

Typically, Martin spends two nights with Ty and then two nights with Daniel, unless someone is travelling or with another partner.

Vee relationship

Insisting they are not in a “throuple,” Martin clarifies the three are involved in what she calls a vee relationship.

According to an article that defines various polyamorous relationships, “the V or vee is when one person is dating two different people, but those two individuals are not dating one another and aren’t physically or emotionally intimate with each other, either.”

In this dynamic, one person – Martin – is romantically involved with two partners, who are not romantically involved with each other.

Daniel remains her legal husband and “primary” partner, but both men take on parenting roles.

“My kids love Ty and call him their second dad, and they feel supported by our network of friends, partners, and family,” Martin explained.

Not a ‘closed group’

Also, the relationship isn’t exclusive, Martin shared, explaining that each partner dates independently, ensuring there’s always at least one adult at home with the children – a system she suggests helps maintain stability for the family.

“We aren’t a closed group,” Martin said.

Speaking with the New York Post, the woman, who works as a freelance writer, said “Daniel has a serious nonbinary partner he sees once a week, while Ty has a long-distance partner in Pittsburgh and occasionally hooks up and dates other people locally.”

She continued, “I have two more casual relationships as well, with a woman and a man who both also date each other.”

‘Critics should get over it’

Despite criticism from outsiders, Martin insists their unconventional vee relationship works seamlessly – not just for the trio, but for the couple’s two children as well.

“We’re really happy, we get along great, and my kids are thriving with three partners,” she later told the New York Post. “It’s possible to have multiple successful relationships when you have a solid foundation, great communication skills and surround yourself with good people who generally have their s*** together,” Martin explained.

And to those who disapprove, she has a simple message: “Polyamory is becoming more common, and it’s not going away any time soon, so I think critics should get over it and go ahead and get used to the idea.”

For Jennifer Martin, her “vee” relationship is built on trust, communication, and mutual respect – and she believes it works for her family.

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