The city of Olympia has become the first municipality in Washington state to adopt explicit legal protections for people in polyamorous relationships, after local lawmakers unanimously approved new anti-discrimination measures covering diverse family structures.

The Olympia City Council voted to amend the city’s municipal code to include “family or relationship structure” as a protected category under existing civil rights and housing laws.

The change means residents cannot legally be discriminated against in areas such as housing and other services because they are part of polyamorous, non-monogamous, or other non-traditional household arrangements.

Two ordinances were approved to implement the change, one establishing a dedicated chapter in the city’s anti-discrimination code and another updating existing rules governing unfair housing practices.

The amendments extend protections not only to polyamorous relationships but also to a wide range of household arrangements, including single-parent families, multigenerational households, blended families and chosen families.

City officials said the measures were introduced after residents reported facing barriers or prejudice linked to their household structures.

In some cases, individuals described difficulties securing housing or accessing services because their living arrangements did not match traditional assumptions about family composition.

Supporters of the ordinances say the change is designed to close a legal gap and ensure the city’s civil rights policies reflect the variety of family structures present in modern communities.

By adding the category to existing law, Olympia provides residents with a formal avenue to challenge discrimination if it occurs.

Advocates note that awareness of consensual non-monogamy has grown in recent years, although many people still keep such relationships private because of social stigma.

Surveys of individuals in non-monogamous relationships suggest a significant share report experiencing discrimination in areas such as employment, housing and healthcare.

Olympia’s move places the city among a small number of municipalities in the United States that have introduced similar protections.

Campaigners say they are now working to encourage other Washington cities, including Seattle and Tacoma, to adopt comparable measures as part of a broader push to extend anti-discrimination protections statewide.