Open Relationship

An open relationship is a form of consensual, or ethical, non-monogamy in which partners agree, with full knowledge and consent, that one or both may pursue sexual and sometimes romantic connections outside the relationship. It usually centers a primary partnership, with outside connections understood as additional rather than equal. This is often what distinguishes it from polyamory, which tends to allow multiple loving, committed relationships without a single primary. Open relationships sit on a spectrum, from strictly sexual openness to more emotionally involved arrangements, and their exact rules are negotiated by the people in them. They depend on clear agreements, honest communication, and regular check-ins as needs change. Open arrangements are common and widely accepted across many LGBTQ+ communities.