Reluctantly entering polyamory

Shameless

Shameless Media

Society & Culture

4.7 • 1.8K Ratings

🗓️ 15 March 2026

⏱️ 39 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

MONDAY ANALYSIS: Writer Lindy West has let us into the world of her modern marriage. It made us wonder…do we all know far too much about each other’s relationships? And knowing how cruel the internet can be, why do so many writers continue to mine their personal lives for their work? Huge thanks to Myer for making today’s episode of Shameless possible – don’t forget about International Fragrance Day on Saturday, March 21. Also, shout-out to Pandora! Use the code SHAMELESS15 to get $15 off when you spend $100 or more at Pandora. Available online only for a limited time. T&Cs apply. Your hosts are Zara McDonald (@zamcdonald) and Michelle Andrews (@michelleandrews1). Lindy West Thought She Couldn’t Handle Polyamory. She Was Wrong from Modern Love by the New York Times Lindy West’s How Not To Guide to Polyamory in Slate by Scaachi KoulPolyamory Is Not Too Good To Be True interview by StyleLikeU on YouTubeShameless Podcast is produced by Annabelle Lee and Eilish Gilligan, executive-produced by Lucy Hunt and audio-edited by Eilish Gilligan. Our social media team consists of Naima Fatema, Emily Li and Eilish Gilligan, and our partnerships manager is Cindy Luu. Want to support our show? Clicking ‘follow’ on Apple and Spotify is the best way to do that, and we're super grateful to anyone who leaves a five-star review while they're at it. Also! An old-fashioned 'Tell a Friend In Real Life' is equally appreciated. Want more? We've got more… Subscribe to our newsletter Smart, Dumb Stuff: https://tinyurl.com/4yasjphn Follow us on Instagram: https://tinyurl.com/2mf557ux Aaaand we’re on TikTok: https://tinyurl.com/2hchchrp Everything else your heart could ever desire is here: https://linktr.ee/shamelesspodcast Thanks for listening! We’re huge fans of yours. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Shameless Media
0:05.0	Shameless, the pop culture podcast for smart people who love dumb stuff.
0:37.9	You're joined as always by Melbourne writers, Michelle Andrews. That would be me. And Zara McDonald, that would be you. Hello, hello, Michelle Andrews. I like it. Hello, hello. Hello in the intro. And hello, producer, Eilish Gill again. Hi. Hi, Gil. coming up on today's show, quite a meaty one we think you'll all be very interested in.
0:56.0	We are unpacking a pretty viral. Hi, Gil. Coming up on today's show, quite a meaty one we think you'll all be very interested in.
0:56.0	We are unpacking a pretty viral modern love podcast interview from last week. It's had everyone
1:01.5	talking online. Lindy West, the very successful writer, has let the world into her modern
1:07.3	marriage. It's raised the question we've already been wrangling with for a while now.
1:11.7	How much should any of us share about our private relationships?
1:17.5	God, I loved this interview. God, I love modern love. I mean, it's the Andrew Garfield
1:23.8	episode of Modern Love. There are so many when you go back through the archives. The Hinge Founder one. Do you remember that? I remember you recommending it. I think I ever listen. That is one of my favorite episodes of anything of all time. Let me just get his name if that's okay. I know we're not meant to give recommendations. Well, before you give us his name, why don't I give a quick shout out to our sponsor, Maya. They are celebrating International Fragrance Day with all of the biggest brands this Saturday, March 21st. Thank you for making this episode possible.
1:47.2	Maya, what is the founder
1:48.8	of Hinge's name? Justin McLeod. It was also made into one of their episodes on Amazon Prime.
1:54.2	You know how Modern Love kind of, you know, brought to screen some of their stories. I recommend
1:58.4	that heaps. I loved that story. Obsessed. Okay. So, speaking of modern love, obviously, last week, an episode dropped with the
2:05.9	title, Lindy West thought she couldn't handle polyamory. She was wrong. A bit of backstory.
2:11.6	This was a conversation with Lindy West, who is a very famous author and activist. There was a TV
2:17.4	show called Trill, inspired by one of
2:19.3	her books and her life. It centers this interview on polyamor, Emish. Yeah, how Lindy found
2:25.7	herself in a polyamorous relationship with her husband and his girlfriend. This is all to
2:31.2	promote Lindy's new book. It's called Adult Braces, and it traces this journey.
2:37.0	Right out of the gate, we need to say it is not our goal here to decide whether or not
2:40.8	polyamory is the right choice for anyone listening or the right choice for ourselves.
	...

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