It’s a tale as old as time. Guy thinks grass is greener on the other side, but discovers it’s just a bunch of barren land. By the time he returns home, his lawn has been watered by someone else. Maybe he’s allowed back in, maybe he’s not.
In the case of the following story, a man convinced his wife to open their decades-long marriage. She agreed and actually started enjoying her newfound freedom, only for him to backtrack and ask for them to be monogamous again. At the time, the woman said she was conflicted and turned to the internet for advice. She surprised many people by providing an unexpected update three years later.
He convinced her to open up their marriage, and quickly regretted it when it didn't work in his favor
Image credits: Freepik (not the actual photo)
Now he wants her all to himself again, but she's quite happy with the way things are
Image credits: cottonbro studio / Pexels (not the actual photo)
Image credits: p0ly0ffmychestthrow
People had mixed reactions, but many agreed that the husband didn't think things through
She returned with an unexpected update 3 years later...
Image credits: Freepik (not the actual photo)
Image credits: p0ly0ffmychestthrow
Image credits: Alex Green / Pexels (not the actual photo)
A third of Americans polled said open marriages are acceptable, but don't expect your partner to jump at the idea. Here's why...
Made popular in the 70s, open marriages aren’t as taboo as they once were. But that’s not to say everyone is on board.
In fact, a 2023 survey conducted by Pew Research Center found that half of the more than 5,000 Americans polled believe that open marriages are somewhat or completely unacceptable. “This includes 37% who say these marriages are completely unacceptable and 13% who say they’re somewhat unacceptable,” explains Pew’s site.
In case the term is foreign to you, an open marriage is one where both spouses agree that they can date or be intimate with other people.
A third of respondents said open marriages are somewhat or completely acceptable, while the remaining 16% were indifferent. Interestingly, men are more likely than women to say open marriages are at least somewhat acceptable.
People's views on the topic also seem to differ depending on their race and ethnicity, age, marital status, and sexual orientation. Young adults are the most likely to say open marriages are acceptable, while older adults are the most likely to say they’re unacceptable.
"Married adults (57%) and those who are divorced, separated, or widowed (61%) are more likely than those who are living with a partner (27%) or have never been married (35%) to say open marriages are unacceptable," reports the Pew Research Center. "In fact, those who are living with a partner are the most likely to say these kinds of marriages are acceptable (56%)."
Just because people are more open to the idea of an open marriage nowadays, don't expect your partner to jump with joy if you suggest one.
"The desire to be in an open relationship is not always met with consensus between couples. While there are those whose partners may tolerate or completely agree with the idea, wanting to be in an open relationship can be a major dealbreaker to the majority," warns CompareCamp, a software comparison site that delved into the findings of a separate survey on open marriages.
That poll found that 67% of female participants said they'd leave their partners if they asked for an open relationship. While only 46% of male respondents would consider their partner’s request to be in an open relationship as a relationship dealbreaker.
"Walking cliche": many were not surprised at all by the husband's behavior
