On the latest episode of the controversial Red Table Talk, Jada Pinkett Smith, her mother Adrienne Banfield-Norris, and daughter Willow Smith speak to a polyamorous couple while discussing the ins and outs of “untraditional love.”
Pinkett Smith speaks of her own experiences blending families with her husband’s ex-wife Sheree Zampino. “You know what’s so interesting, though? Why it’s so not foreign to me too is that I’ve had a non-sexual throuple for years with Sheree,” Jada said. “When you have your husband that is taking care of another woman and spending time with another woman, it’s the same thing.” The actress also ackowledge that she took part in a threesome once in her early ’20s but did not enjoy it. “It just didn’t have the level of intimacy.”
Banfield-Norris is the first to question the authenticity of the “throuple” (a three-person polyamorous relationship). “It doesn’t sit well with me, I feel like I don’t understand this ’emotional commitment’ and at the end of the day, I don’t feel like that’s what it’s really about. In my mind, they’re just trying to enjoy sexual relationships with other people.” Willow goes on to say that what her Grandmother is describing is “swinging”, which is “the practice of engaging in group sex or the swapping of sexual partners within a group” which is different from polyamory. The 18-year-old goes on to tell her family that she could see herself in a polyamorous relationship because “love is universal.”
“I love men and women equally,” Willow continues. “So, I would definitely want one man and one woman. I feel like I could be polyfidelitous with those two people. I’m not the kind of person that is constantly looking for new sexual experiences. I focus a lot on the emotional connection, and I feel like if I were to find two people of the different genders that I really connected with and we had a romantic and sexual connection, I don’t feel like I would feel the need to try to go find more.”
This is not the first time Willow has discussed her sexuality and feelings about monogamy publically. During a previous episode of Red Table Talk, Willow explains, “That feeling of ‘you’re my one and my only, there’s no else,’ for me, that would not work.”
The Smith family have always cultivated a safe space where no topic is off the table. For many years within Hollywood, it was rumored that Will and Jada were involved in a polyamorous relationship of their own. Though they both have denied the allegations, they remain open and supportive of whatever choices their children may make. Jada backs her daughter up by saying, “Listen, you know me, Willow — whatever makes you happy.”
Watch the full episode below:
