Both swingers and open people in an open relationship share a common thread. These individuals are looking for a bit of variety in their sex life and personal relationships. Yet, there are key differences between swingers and open relationship participants and it is a good idea to get to know the difference between the two–especially if either is an experience that you are looking to bring up to your partner as a suggestion to add a little spice and variety.
So what exactly is the difference between people who choose to “swing” and those in an “open” relationship?
It all boils down to one main difference: Swingers are looking for the occasional couple to trade partners with. This may be a one-time encounter, but it is not uncommon for swingers to find a couple who are also swingers and have multiple sexual encounters with them over time. The encounters are usually pre-arranged and agreed upon by both partners in the relationship. There may even be predefined guidelines about what can happen and where that are set in forth from the beginning. On the other hand, people in an open relationship are practicing something that is much more open. One partner or the other can choose to have relationships, either sexual or otherwise, with whoever they want, whenever they want and there are actually few boundaries.
Wouldn’t an open relationship be a lot more fun?
Well, the truth in this is it kind of depends on who you are and what you are comfortable with in a relationship. If you enjoy a lot of freedom and have no qualms about your partner doing the same, an open relationship can be quite rewarding for both parties involved. Each gets to enjoy their own ideas about sexual relationships without limit while still having a stable emotional partner that is a constant in their life. Swinging works out better for some who would rather experiment outside of their partnership in a more defined fashion, with rules in place to ensure both partners are happy.