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Those in open marriages are becoming more, well, open about it. I often meet couples who are quick to tell me that they are in an open marriage. It seems that the social understanding is that we are to accept arrangements like open marriages, swinging, and polyamory very much in the same way we welcome our LGBTQ community. They’re just doing love and sex in the way that feels most natural to them. I do find it fascinating though. Any time large groups of people start to go against “the norm,” you have to wonder: what drives them? What’s the incentive? It’s never exactly easy to do the opposite of what society expects of you, so when you do, there’s probably a very good reason. I spoke to some of the couples I know who are doing love and sex the non-traditional way, and here’s what I learned about why so many long-term couples turn to things like swinging and open marriages.
Sex doesn’t=love
Many individuals feel that sex and love do not have to go hand in hand, and in fact that they don’t go hand in hand. They don’t believe that a sexual encounter with one person is a betrayal to their primary partner because there were no emotions involved. Some couples only require emotional fidelity to feel content.
