An open relationship is a relationship in which the people involved agree that they want to be together, but in which romantic or sexual relationships with additional people are accepted, permitted or tolerated. To large degree this is a generalization of the concept of open marriage beyond matrimonial relationships.
Interpretations
* Some relationships place strict restrictions on partners (e.g. polyfidelity); such relationships are polyamorous, but not open.
* Some relationships permit sex outside the primary relationship, but not love (e.g. swinging); such relationships are sexually non-monogamous but not polyamorous or open.
* Some polyamorists do not accept the dichotomies of "in a relationship/not in a relationship" and "partners/not partners"; without these divisions, it is meaningless to classify relationships as 'open' or 'closed'.
* Some polyamorists consider 'polyamory' to be their philosophical orientation — they believe themselves capable and desirous of multiple loves — whereas 'open relationship' is used as a logistical description: that is, it is how their polyamory is expressed or implemented. They would say of themselves, for instance, "I am polyamorous; my primary partner and I have an open relationship (with the following ground rules)...."
* Some relationships are usually a long-distance relationship where the couple still want to be together, but one or both of them also wants to see other people.
* Some people occasionally use an open relationship to test their partner.
* The additional relationship can also be without sex or with out contact with other people.
Polyamory
While "open relationship" is sometimes used as a synonym for "polyamory" or "polyamorous relationship", these terms are generally differentiated. The "open" in "open relationship" usually refers to the sexual aspect of a non-closed relationship, whereas "polyamory" refers to the extension of a relationship by allowing bonds to form (which may be sexual or otherwise) as additional long term relationships. However, there is enough overlap between the two concepts that "open relationship" is sometimes used as a catch-all substitute when speaking to people who may not be familiar with polyamory.
In popular culture
* Popular sex educator Tristan Taormino is also an advocate of open relationships.
* Some social networking sites, including Facebook and Orkut allow users to set their relationship statuses to in an open relationship.
Source >> (Here)
Interpretations
* Some relationships place strict restrictions on partners (e.g. polyfidelity); such relationships are polyamorous, but not open.
* Some relationships permit sex outside the primary relationship, but not love (e.g. swinging); such relationships are sexually non-monogamous but not polyamorous or open.
* Some polyamorists do not accept the dichotomies of "in a relationship/not in a relationship" and "partners/not partners"; without these divisions, it is meaningless to classify relationships as 'open' or 'closed'.
* Some polyamorists consider 'polyamory' to be their philosophical orientation — they believe themselves capable and desirous of multiple loves — whereas 'open relationship' is used as a logistical description: that is, it is how their polyamory is expressed or implemented. They would say of themselves, for instance, "I am polyamorous; my primary partner and I have an open relationship (with the following ground rules)...."
* Some relationships are usually a long-distance relationship where the couple still want to be together, but one or both of them also wants to see other people.
* Some people occasionally use an open relationship to test their partner.
* The additional relationship can also be without sex or with out contact with other people.
Polyamory
While "open relationship" is sometimes used as a synonym for "polyamory" or "polyamorous relationship", these terms are generally differentiated. The "open" in "open relationship" usually refers to the sexual aspect of a non-closed relationship, whereas "polyamory" refers to the extension of a relationship by allowing bonds to form (which may be sexual or otherwise) as additional long term relationships. However, there is enough overlap between the two concepts that "open relationship" is sometimes used as a catch-all substitute when speaking to people who may not be familiar with polyamory.
In popular culture
* Popular sex educator Tristan Taormino is also an advocate of open relationships.
* Some social networking sites, including Facebook and Orkut allow users to set their relationship statuses to in an open relationship.
Source >> (Here)
