I am appalled by the words of Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.). Although I agree with his remarks about homosexual acts, they should never be regarded in the same manner as plural marriages; he must be more sensitive to the polygamy community.

I am not a polygamist, but I have a good friend that came from a polygamous family and she is one of the most sensitive and successful students I have ever met. Unfortunately, there are many misconceptions about the polygamist lifestyle. Women are not degraded or exploited, rather, they obtain more personal independence. A woman that can share the responsibilities of child rearing and house work with other women is granted more time for personal growth and development.

Though bigamy is illegal (the marriage of a man to two women in which the women do not know of each other), polygamy is not. States only allow one registered marriage between one man and one woman, but does not forbid a man to take more than one woman as an unregistered wife. In other words, states will only confer benefits to a single wife.

Santorum should take more care when speaking out against family-destroying acts. His ignorance of polygamy continues to stereotype it as a morally wrong act. I really hope more people can come to a better understanding of polygamy and appreciate it as a socially liberating experience.