"We Don't Do That!": Consensual Non-Monogamy in HBO's Insecure

Interest in consensual non-monogamous (CNM) relationships is increasing in both the public and the media. It is estimated between 4–5% of the U.S. population is currently involved in a CNM relationship with even distribution across racial/ethnic groups (Conley, Moors, Matsick, & Ziegler, 2013; Haritaworn, Lin, & Klesse, 2006; Klesse, 2014; Sheff & Hammers, 2011). Although public interest in CNM is increasing (Moors, 2016; Balzarini et al., 2018), much bias against CNM relationships still exists among the general public (Lehmiller, 2017). This paper will analyze and discuss a portrayal of a Black CNM relationship in Season 2 of the HBO series Insecure (Rae et al., 2016-present). Ultimately, the paper will discuss the importance of accurate representation of CNM relationships in Black media.