If the word or concept of “throuple” wasn’t familiar, soon it will be.
The West Hollywood City Council voted 5-0 to introduce an ordinance that would prohibit discrimination based on family or relationship structure. In plain terms, that includes polyamorous (throuple) and multi-partner families.
Motion. Second. Unanimous.
Councilmember Chelsea Byers made the motion to introduce the ordinance on first reading. Councilmember Lauren Meister seconded it.
Mayor John Heilman thanked the members of the public who spoke and said the City has a history of stepping into new territory carefully. “We hope to do this well and get it right,” he said, noting the work ahead for staff.
Councilmember John Erickson called the moment significant and pointed back to West Hollywood’s early leadership on domestic partnership protections. He said this felt like another chapter in that story.
Vice Mayor Danny Hang did not weigh in during the discussion and was noticeably quiet on the item.
The ordinance adds a new chapter to the City’s nondiscrimination code, making it illegal to discriminate against someone because of how their family is structured. That applies to housing, businesses, City-facilities and City-supported services.
It now heads to a second reading before final adoption.
What Is a Throuple, Exactly?
In order to understand how a throuple works, the first step is to understand what it means, exactly. A throuple, or a triad, is a three-person relationship. It’s not the same thing as having a threesome, which just involves sex, or unicorn polyamory, in which a couple add a third person to their relationship. It’s also different from an open relationship. Often considered a form of polyamory, this triad dynamic involves shared intimacy, communication, and, in some cases, joint responsibilities like cohabitation or parenting.
The Bigger Question Is What Comes Next
The vote itself was straightforward. The more complicated piece is the second half of the discussion: whether West Hollywood should create a local registration program for multi-partner relationships, similar to how the City once created its own domestic partnership registry.
That’s where things get technical.
Erickson said he was proud to see the item move forward and called it “a really monumental moment for the City.” He added, “We have to make sure we’re doing this right.”
Meister focused on the legal mechanics, asking staff to clarify how state law defines marriage and domestic partnership. “The way the state defines both marriage and domestic partnership is between two people,” she said, asking what that means for expanding local protections beyond two partners.
When the discussion turned to employee benefits, staff acknowledged that piece is more complicated. “That’s the more complicated part,” City Attorney Lauren Langer said, explaining that changes affecting benefits would require further review and potentially negotiations.
Mayor John Heilman emphasized the need for care and patience. “This may be the first in the state of California,” he said. “We hope to do this well and get it right.”
City Attorney Lauren Langer explained that simply expanding the existing domestic partnership ordinance won’t work cleanly because state law defines those partnerships as between two people. So if the City wants to move forward, it likely has to build something separate.
What hasn’t been defined yet is the size of that relationship. Is this limited to throuples? Could it involve four or more adults? The ordinance itself doesn’t set a cap, and staff didn’t outline one Monday night. Council approved creating a staff working group to figure things like that out.
Residents who spoke during public comment asked for a 90-day deadline for staff to return with a plan. City Clerk Melissa Crowder said that timeline isn’t realistic. Six months is.
Council signaled that six months is workable.
Benefits, Insurance, And Contracts
If the City creates a registration program, that’s one thing. Expanding employee benefits is another.
Councilmembers pressed staff on what this could mean for City workers, insurance coverage and contracts with CalPERS. Staff made clear that any changes affecting employee benefits would likely require negotiations with unions and review of insurance agreements.
In other words, this isn’t just a symbolic move. There are real financial and legal pieces to sort out.
Council briefly floated the idea of forming a subcommittee to track the work more closely but decided to let staff begin and report back.
So Would West Hollywood Be First?
Not quite.
Oakland already passed a binding anti-discrimination law covering polyamorous and multi-partner families in 2023. Berkeley followed with something similar.
So if West Hollywood adopts this ordinance, it would be early, but not first.
Where things get more interesting is the next step.
If the City actually creates a formal local registration program for multi-partner relationships — similar to how it once led on domestic partnerships — that would push into newer territory. That’s the part staff is now digging into.
This feels similar, though the mechanics are more complicated.
For now, the anti-discrimination piece is moving forward. The policy details will follow.
Six months from now, the Council expects something concrete.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to include additional quotes from councilmembers during Monday night’s discussion.
Insurance shouldn’t be much of a big deal. Unless you work for a really big company, family coverage costs the sum of what it would cost to cover each individual in the family. Most employers allow employees to include their family members on their policy, but don’t contribute toward their coverage. The employee can buy the coverage with pre-tax dollars and lower their annual tax bill. But that’s a federal benefit, and the government won’t allow an employee to cover spouse #2 or the children of spouse #2 with pre-tax dollars, just like they did before the Supreme Court made… Read more »
Meanwhile, they are silencing residents and getting bribed by developers so they can build luxury apartments with no parking. VOTE CORRUPT WEHO COUNCIL OUT!
Why? Why is the City of West Hollywood wasting time and money on this when we have significant issues that need resolve and remedy? Absolutely ridiculous. Who decided this needed pursuing? Who is responsible for this?
They will do anything to avoid real issues!
Too funny. Right out of Portlandia.
Sorry to see this. West Hollywood is the laughing-stock of the world.
What a clown show.