Objective

Unicorn hunting is the pejorative term used within the polyamory community to describe a couple, typically a heterosexual man and bisexual woman, actively seeking a "third" partner—usually a bisexual woman—to join their existing relationship on a permanent or sexual basis.

Critics, including educators at Polyphilia, characterize this dynamic as inherently unethical due to the power imbalances and objectification involved. The "hunting" metaphor highlights the predatory nature of the search, where the "unicorn" is often expected to provide equal affection and sexual availability to both members of the couple while having their own needs and autonomy restricted to preserve the original dyad's security.

Common behaviors associated with unicorn hunting include the "package deal" requirement (dating one requires dating both), the One Penis Policy (forbidding the new partner from seeing other men), and "Veto Power," where the established couple can unilaterally end the new partner's relationships. Resources like the satirical How to Hunt Unicorns guides often mock these tactics, exposing how couples frequently "bait" potential partners on dating apps or fetishize bisexual women as accessories to spice up a marriage rather than treating them as autonomous human beings. Leanne Yau argues that ethical triads must form organically between independent individuals, rather than being recruited to fill a vacancy in an existing structure.

Subjective

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Contexts

• #consensual-non-monogamy-lexicon (See: Consensual Non-Monogamy (CNM) Glossary)