[UserSince2005]

Do you consider an open relationship as legitimate as a fully monogamous relationship?

[Niamh.]

It wouldn't be for me but each to their own

[Ammi]

...so long as all boundaries are agreed by all and everyone is happy and suited to the relationship etc, that’s cool...

[Ammi]

...or what Niamh said even...

[Cherie]

It works for some, so I can't knock it, wouldn't be for me though

[Lewismacfarlane]

No way

[LeatherTrumpet]

load of rubbish

[Alf]

Is this a polite way of asking "Are you into swinging?"

[Vicky.]

Bugger all to do with me either way really...totally up to each other how they see fit to sort their relationships. I can see the appeal of an open relationship..but I seem to be a bit odd in that, I have never even slightly undestood the whole jealousy thing. Its oddly something thats been thrown in my face fairly recently as something that says I don't love someone? That I DON'T kick off if some lass starts flirting with my husband or whatever, If anything, I find it quite amusing rather than it annoying me or me getting jealous ad whinging/kicking off. This means, apparently, I don't care about him. Where to me, it means I trust him ad just...don't DO the whole jealousy thing at all. Always seemed very odd to me, how posessive and stuff some seem to get. But each to their own tbh.

But yeah, it appears it is me thats the odd one on that one.

I don't think an open relationship is 'the equilvalent' of a monogamous one, as not really sure what the equivalent part is about. But both should be respected as the personal choice of the people involved, and neither is anything of anyones business tbh besides the people directly involved either Maybe thats what was meant by that bit and am just being slow? (not surprising tbf!)

[Vicky.]

Originally Posted by Alf

Is this a polite way of asking "Are you into swinging?"

[smudgie]

Each to their own.
I would respect any relationship that any of my friends and family are in.
I totally get Vicky re the jealousy or lack of it.
Mother and sister were blighted with the green eyed monster and had problems in their relationships.
If you love and trust someone there is no room for jealousy

[GoldHeart]

People can do what they want if that's their arrangement, but i wouldn't class it as a proper relationship .

[thesheriff443]

Some people are in open relationships they just don’t know it.

Some people openly share their partners

I’d say it’s pretty fcuked up to be honest.

[Glenn.]

It’s not really down to anyone to have an opinion on anyone’s relationship. If they want to be in an open relationship that’s their choice.

[Black Dagger]

I couldnt do it. I get too jealous. But respect those for having one if they've set boundaries.

[Alf]

If you are gonna be into cuckolding, then don't get married in one of God's houses. He doesn't agree with that sort of thing.

[Scarlett.]

It's not my business

[Fetch The Bolt Cutters]

Thog dont caare

[arista]

Originally Posted by Alf

Is this a polite way of asking "Are you into swinging?"

Yes Alf
Dirty Buggers

[Toy Soldier]

Each to their own, so long as everyone is honest. I don’t think it’s something that should be introduced into an established relationship though, that rarely seems to work, but if it’s a factor of the relationship for both people from the beginning? how people want to live is their business.

I agree with the jealousy stuff above though, jealousy is entirely about trust. If you trust your partner to be open and honest with you, you have no reason to be jealous of someone else flirting with them... “jealousy” is really just a word for “anxiety that they’re going to act on it and cheat on you”.

[Captain.Remy]

I'm not the one to judge what makes others happy. As long as it's involving mutual consent, where's the problem
People can be happy in many ways and I don't have an opinion on how others want their relationship to be. So yeah it's legitimate to me.

[Kazanne]

Each to their own, it doesn't impact on me

[UserSince2005]

I have quite a few friends in open relationships who think there relationship is real the deal.
I dont even roll my eyes when they talk about it because of how upset they would get if someone was to question them on it.
Even though some of them look down on people who dont swing together which i find funny.

My true feels are that if thats the deal you want with you partner and its mutual then fair enough. But their relationship doesnt hold a candle to the love me and my partner share.

[Toy Soldier]

I can't answer your poll by the way because the poll question and thread question are different; you say "is it equivalent" in the poll, and "is it legitimate" in the thread.

For me it obviously IS legitimate because people can make their own choices.

But I can't say "yes it's equivalent" because that would mean that it's the same thing, which it isn't, it's a completely different (yet still legitimate) life choice. I also don't think it makes "a mockery of the word relationship" by any stretch, people have all sorts of relationships. I guess, also, a lot of people think of full-on "thrupples" and people living together/seeing each other day to day when they think of "an open relationship"... a lot of them don't take that form, though, a lot of them are people who essentially live a "single life" but have relationships all over the place (people who live maybe even in other countries, who they see a couple of times a year, or even less, but do have a romantic/sexual relationship with when they see them).

It's just a completely different lifestyle and completely different type of relationship... it doesn't erode anyone elses' relationship .

Again it's really an ethics question; so long as everyone is GENUINELY happy with that lifestyle it's all good, each to their own. If it's just one person essentially getting themselves into an array of relationships with people who would RATHER be monogonous but are just "accepting it" then it becomes a bit murky.

In other words, it really has to be between people who have the same mindset.

[UserSince2005]

the poll is a question posed to measure whether you respect the concept of an open relationship or not.
Instead of just a yes/no question with no context.