you’ve found that special person and you feel connected to them in a rare and wonderful way. open relationships are different from polyamorous ones where you might be in a romantic relationship with more than one person at the same time. in an open relationship, you save the dates, conversation and emotional connection for your partner. if an open relationship appeals to you or if you’re wondering how to respond to your partner suggesting one, then you might be wondering how other couples make it work. open relationships are common in the gay community but you don’t have to do what everyone else does. it’s not wrong to want an open relationship but neither is it wrong to want an exclusive one. perhaps the best thing you can do at the beginning, is think about it carefully and be honest with yourself and your partner. it might be a good way to give one of you a chance to explore things that aren’t to the other’s taste like bondage or fetishes. it might be an easy way to satisfy one partner’s higher libido while the other enjoys a quiet night. what happens if one of you picks up an sti from a hookup and infects the other?
what happens if one of you finds a stronger emotional connection elsewhere too? and if you’re the reluctant one, don’t leap to a decision – give the idea a fair hearing before you decide. if you’re both comfortable with an open relationship, then it’s time to set your ground rules. maybe agree to review after the first 3 months and regularly after that. are they too strict or are there new situations you haven’t covered? it’s not great to break any of the rules you’ve agreed with your partner about an open relationship. if you get carried away and forget this basic rule, then always get tested for stis. if you’re in an open relationship and therefore at higher risk of exposure to stis, including hiv, then it may be worth starting prep to protect yourself. i think if both people in a relationship can look at the hottest guy on grindr and say, “you know what, i’d rather be at home on the couch watching the worst youtube video with you,” you can make the open thing work. don’t try to force an open relationship.
i recently spoke with melanie tait on the abc radio nightlife program about open relationships. this was a fascinating discussion with some interesting callers on the talkback sharing their experiences. although gay men do tend to be more adept at negotiating and managing open relationships when compared to their heterosexual counterparts, many gay couples still end up in my office because of issues caused by opening the relationship. if you’re wanting to read more about open relationships, these two books below are a good place to start, and if you’re struggling with deciding to open a relationship or dealing with issues related to your current open relationship, seek the support and expertise of a gay-informed couples therapist. opening up: a guide to creating and sustaining open relationships by tristan taormino. the new monogamy: redefining your relationship after infidelity, by dr tammy nelson.
for gay men, open relationships aren’t unusual, but the arrangements vary. some couples agree only to three-ways with both partners present. gay men in open relationships: what works? talk about it openly with your partner. if you and your partner want to have a close relationship and have 30% of gay men are in open relationships, according to new study forty-two percent tell their primary partners about other sexual contacts,, open relationship boundaries list, open relationship boundaries list, gay open relationship reddit, gay open relationship twitter, gay open relationship podcast.
every relationship has its own rules — but here’s some open guidelines. i used to live in a large house with three gay men. navigating a gay open relationship 1. pause to consider your feelings 2. consider how it will affect the relationship 3. agree on the ground is an open relationship a good idea for your gay relationship? develop clear boundaries and ground rules for what’s ok and what’s not okay., successful open relationships, open relationship grindr, open relationship rules, open relationship issues, gay relationship, gay poly relationship, semi open relationships, open relationship with friends, being the third person in an open relationship, gaybros open relationship.
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