Multiple Men and a Woman

There is an extremely rare form of marital practice where a woman has more than one male partner simultaneously. Known as polyandry, social anthropologists have found it difficult to fully document such a marital arrangement where one woman has specifically formed sexual union with several men. Historical accounts that are remotely suggestive of polyandry are quite few in contrast with the male version referred to as polygyny.

Islam, Judaism and Christianity ban women from carrying on with such relationships. In fact, it is believed that the few polyandrous relationship recorded in history were not at all driven by any religious doctrine but rather by local concerns unique to that particular place and time. A case in point are the Todas of Tibet who practiced fraternal polyandry or brothers having the same wife as a direct result of their related practice of female infanticide. By limiting the number of females that were allowed to live, they in turn limited the number of marriageable females available.

The tribal societies of the Amazons were discovered to have practiced partible paternity wherein all sexual partners of a female during her pregnancy were considered fathers of her child. This practice was encouraged to increase the chance of survival in having several father-figures looking out for the child's welfare. Polyandry has been outlawed in places where it was known to have been practiced.

Throughout history, humans have exhibited their tremendous ability to adapt to prevailing circumstances by producing innovative solutions to a problem. Whatever benefit polyandry has contributed to human society is deemed marginal when the potential harm is considered. Polyandry in modern society is practically unheard of. What we commonly see today are paternity disputes arising from a woman's infidelity which is quite complicated as it is already. We do not need polyandry to complicate it any further.