Ethical non-monogamy has been on the rise in recent years. More and more people are opening up their relationships, living as throuples, and openly seeking the type of connections that satisfy their needs.
However, this kind of arrangement can only work if everyone involved is a consenting adult who know what they’re getting themselves into. And unfortunately, that's not always the case. One woman was blindsided by her partner’s suggestion to venture into an open relationship. So in an effort to move forward with her relationship, she reached out to Reddit for advice. Keep reading to find the full story, as well as some of the replies invested readers shared.
Ethical-non monogamy is becoming more and more popular. However, it is still a tough subject to broach with your partner
Image credits: Alex Green (not the actual photo)
In this story, a man approached his girlfriend about opening up their relationship. But he wasn't expecting the reaction he got
Image credits: Liza Summer (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Unlucky_Life_7482
The boyfriend might not have handled the conversation correctly
While the woman doesn’t detail how exactly their conversation about an open relationship went down, it might be that there were a lot of questions left unanswered.
When approaching such a touchy subject, one has to explain a lot of things. The boyfriend was supposed to put all his cards on the table and say why he wants to open the relationship. At the same time, he had to be very reassuring that his love and connection to his current partner would not diminish either. He also had to clarify that he did not act upon it yet and define what fidelity would mean to him from now on.
But even if everything is laid out correctly, the partner might still express a lot of hesitation. This is understandable as it’s all completely new information to them.
The ultimatum and the blame that came after is really what ruined it all
The aftermath of the conversation was the place where the boyfriend was supposed to shine. He had to show that he is lenient and try to simply keep the conversation open. Figuring out such things might take a while, after all. His decision to create a strict boundary where it wasn't before and make an ultimatum right away was a big misstep. No surprise it made his girlfriend recoil from the idea of an open relationship completely.
The blame and manipulation that came after made him even more of a jerk. This is a sign of immaturity that shows that he wasn’t prepared for the open relationship in the first place.
Technically, the couple still has a chance of salvaging the relationship. It will need a lot of honest communication but it’s doable. They might need some help from a therapist but if they wish to do so, they might still stay together. The question is, would either of them want this at this point.
Many agreed that the woman did the right thing, and there was no way she was the jerk in this situation
