The Other 82%: Living and Loving Beyond the Monogamous Nuclear Family

Did you know that only 18% of US households resemble a nuclear family structure with two married adults living with their kids?

Join us for a night of social science and social magic with This Is Actually Happening host Whit Missildine, political scientist Dr. Lily Lamboy and psychologist Dr. Heath Schechinger to learn about the many ways that people are forming families in the face of changing economic, social, and technological forces. Whit will be in conversation with David Jay, an early founder of the Asexuality movement who currently raises two children with his married co-parents, and Koe Creation, a second generation polyamorous educator who grew up with five loving parents. 

This event celebrates the culmination of a six-part podcast series collaboration between the Modern Family Institute and This Is Actually Happening to share intimate, personal, first-person stories of people who inhabit family, relationship or community structures that fall outside the monogamous, nuclear template to spread and deepen awareness around the many ways that people create loving communities of care. 

The podcast is part of the Wondery network and regularly ranks in the top 50 podcasts in the US, with over 300,000 listeners per episode and over 3 million downloads a month. The Modern Family Institute is a nonprofit dedicated to understanding and empowering a diverse ecosystem of family and relationship structures. Families, in all their forms, serve a vital function in our society, offering love, stability, belonging, and lifelong care. Yet many current laws, policies, and social norms are still centered around the traditional ‘nuclear family’ model — a monogamous married couple living with their kids. This often overlooks and limits recognition for the diverse and rich tapestry of family structures that enrich our communities, affecting the rights, privileges, and freedoms of those whose family lives take different shapes.

Manny's never turns away anyone for lack of funds. To receive a complementary ticket just email the word "grapefruit" and the title of this event to [email protected].

Want to support community members? By purchasing a "Pay It Forward" ticket you will allow us to provide free tickets to those who may not be able to afford entry otherwise and ensure we can create a diverse socio-economic audience that represents San Francisco.

Host or Publisher Manny's