I ran across this article in the NYT online on polyamory. What is polyamory? That would depend on who you talked to, as people have different interpretations of what constitutes a poly relationship. And often, it gets confused with the swinger’s lifestyle.

The difference between swingers and poly culture is that swinging is more about the act of having multiple physical partners, while polyamory is about a relationship with more than one partner. Poly involves an emotional attachment to someone other than your primary partner.

At first glance, many people assume that polyamorous couples (and swingers) are using the concept of an open relationship to “fix” problems within a marriage. While it does happen, people in both lifestyles will tell you that the core of the relationship needs to be rock solid, or the issues of either lifestyle could easily end a relationship.

 And studies have shown that couples that participate in swinging not only have a more positive view of marriage, but also have a more positive view of the world in general.

Is it the road for everyone? Not at all. For most, the fantasy of multiple partners, or the idea of a side lover is quite enough. And thats absolutely fine. Many people in the swinging community will tell you that there are many couples who enjoy the openness of conversation but never venture into participation.  Whatever your comfort level, thats the right place for you.