How open relationships could be the next big thing

It could be time to say goodbye to outdated ideas of monogamy and welcome in the new with open relationships becoming more socially acceptable.

Outdated ideas of monogamy are slowly making way for more open-minded ideas.

Ethical non-monogamy, or ENM, is an umbrella term for relationship formations that aren’t exclusively monogamous between two people.

The “ethical” component means it’s something that’s discussed and agreed upon by all people involved, with clear boundaries.

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The main forms include:

• Open relationships: A couple who are open to new romantic or sexual partners.

• Swinging: Couples who have sex with another couple and/or swap partners.

• Monogamish relationships: A couple who are mostly monogamous but occasionally have sex with other people.

• Polyfidelity: A closed romantic/sexual group of people who agree not to have relationships outside the established group.

• Polyamory: People who have multiple romantic and/or sexual relationships at a time.

Will and Jada have previously stated they are in a polyamorous relationship. Image: Getty

Many of us have been taught the epitome of a successful relationship was a monogamous relationship. Statistics on infidelity and divorce however, don’t align with this narrative, and the belief that one person can fulfil our emotional, romantic, friendship, sexual, financial and spiritual needs is quickly becoming outdated.

The Lovehoney Group’s 2022 sex trends report found a rise in people exploring ENM relationships, and cited a recent YouGov poll in the US of more than 1300 adults in which 32 per cent stated their ideal relationship would be non-monogamous to some degree. Unfortunately, because we’re talking about unlearning a lifetime’s worth of social conditioning that monogamy is the “right” way to be in a relationship, it can take generations to shift perspective.

Abbie Chatfield and Konrad Bien-Stephens recently revealed their relationship was open. Image: Instagram/@abbiechatfield

How to try it

Seek ENM resources to help you learn more about its nuances. Books such as Polysecure by Jessica Fern and The Ethical Slut by Dossie Easton and Janet Hardy, and podcasts such as Polyamory Weekly are a great place to start.

Spend some time thinking about and mapping out what an ideal relationship – in whatever formation – could look like to you at this point and set very clear boundaries with any partner(s).

Christine Rafe is a sex and relationship therapist at Good Vibes Clinic.

This article originally appeared in Body+Soul and has been reproduced with permission.