Why Swing?
It is generally felt that you can divide swingers into two categories; those who participate for recreational and those who participate for utopian reasons. Recreational swingers see swinging as a social activity much like bowling, playing tennis and cards. Utopian swingers have a general philosophy of communitarianism and wish to share not only sex but all other aspects of life with their fellow participants. At this time there is relatively little scientific data that indicates what long-term effect swinging actually has on marriages. Nevertheless, there is a general belief among swingers that swinging has a positive effect upon a marriage. They believe that sexual fidelity is harmful and breeds jealousy and a feeling of ownership between a husband and wife. According to them swinging does away with jealousy and helps each mate see the other as an individual and not as a possession. Another reason for swinging is boredom with marital sex. Swingers feel that it is impossible for one person to satisfy another sexually over an extended period of time. Swinging is seen as a method of adding new excitement to the marriage, perhaps even salvaging it. Most swingers know couples who have tried to salvage a bad marriage by swinging and they observed that this generally has not been successful. Most swingers believe that swinging alone cannot save a bad marriage. They do believe that it can strengthen a good marriage. There may be deeper psychological reasons for swinging. It is believed that men may need to translate early sexual fantasies into reality and that women may be fulfilling social-romantic needs. Some believe that because of the marginality of the new middle class, they seek experiences with others in order to feel they belong. They participate in swinging to develop social ties and to satisfy the need for sexual fulfillment that is a result of their restrictive middle-class backgrounds. Swinging gives them an opportunity to do both without disrupting their general lifestyle. All reasons, whether social, psychological, or sociological are, at the present time, only speculation. One could easily conclude that the reasons for participating in swinging are as varied as swingers themselves.Jealousy In Swinging
Generally, swingers do not show jealousy on the surface. Most swingers argue
that this is because by going to parties together and leaving together, they
realize their commitment to each other as a couple. Thus, they do not feel
threatened because the other partner has gone into another room to have sexual
relations with another individual. One such swinger said, "We both know
that each of us have experiences with other people and, yet, we come back to
each other because we want to be together" They feel that this gives you a
feeling of security that you never had before because you feel and know that the
partner is coming back to you even though they have had a sexual relationship
with someone else. They feel that this builds up self confidence and security.
For a couple to engage in swinging, they must throw off the belief that having
sexual relations outside of marriage is improper. They must break the shackles
of the double standard. That is, the wife will be having sexual relations with
other males much as the male may have had sexual relations outside the marriage
with another partner previously.
Advantages of Swinging
Sexual variety, sexual fulfillment and the potential of carrying out of one's
fantasies are among the advantages of swinging. Sexual excitation increases for
both partners as a result of the new types of sexual experiences and there are
discussions of actual sexual experiences. Women receive a great deal of positive
reinforcement. They may begin seeing themselves as more desirable. Women
uniformally report that they have been able to shed sexual inhibitions that they
were raised with. According to many swingers, you have more of a feeling of your
own "personhood". You think of yourself as a person and not a thing.
Many swingers say that swinging creates stronger bonds between couples. Married
couples find that swinging increases their ability to communicate with each
other. Many couples believe that if a married couple can discuss swinging
together they can discuss anything. Generally, swingers believe they experience
individual growth and develop an ability to communicate better with other
people. Generally, swingers believe that swinging has a positive effect on their
marriage. About 85 percent of both husbands and wives feel that swinging is not
a threat to marriage or love between spouses. None of them reported that their
marriage became worse since they began swinging and the marjority feel their
marriages have improved. Husbands, in particular, consistently reported a high
level of marital happiness and adjustment. Apparently, swinging has had no
negative effect on the sexual lives of the couples, in fact, swinging couples
have sexual intercourse more frequently than the general population. More than
half of the swinging couples have sex together more than four times a week as
compared with only 16 percent of the general population. Many swingers reported
that rather than dampening their ardor for each other, swinging often caused an
arousal of sexual interest for each other. Many of them often engaged in sex
together immediately after returning home from a sex party. The effects of
swinging most often reported are the following: (1) Couples experienced an
increased feeling of warmth, closeness, and love, often most intense immediately
after swinging when the couple got together and discussed their experiences.
This is as if the swinging experience was proof of their love. (2) Knowledge and
confidence regarding sexual technique was more fully developed. (3) Social life
was enriched and active. (4) Couples became more open and honest with one
another in all areas of their relationship. (5) A benefit for some was that
sexual behavior was taken out of the dark and became a normal activity. Another
effect of swinging is that there is a change in the meaning of sex, that is, of
what is appropriate sexual behavior, in what situation, and with whom. Sexual
behavior in swinging becomes more broadly defined to accommodate a wider range
and choice of behavior than in a typical monogamous relationship. Sex takes on a
different meaning for a wife and her spouse when she engages in oral-genital sex
with another swinger in the presence of her husband. In addition, the idea that
sexual exclusivity between marriage partners symbolizes devotion, trust,
security, and love no longer exists and nonexclusivity comes to symbolize these
things. Further, sexual behavior loses its mystery, its secretiveness, and its
aspect of "something done in the dark" and takes on more the character
of normal everyday activity.
Projections
Swinging is an alternative that is emerging within the traditional structure of
marriage in this country. Except for their participation in co-marital sex, most
swingers are living in a traditional nuclear family. One advantage for many
people involved in swinging is that, except for sexual behavior, little change
is required in major values related to the traditional family form. Swinging
requires changing basic values related to monogamous sexual behavior or
admitting values that are different, at least from what individuals have paid
lip service to in the past. Families who swing find that, except for sex related
areas, it does not require substantial changes in behavioral and functional
roles. There is some evidence, however, that such sexual activities sometimes
require changes in how couples handle jealousy, power, and so forth in the
marriage. Swinging marrieds probably represent the least revolutionary of the
emerging alternative lifestyles examined in this book. Generally, swingers
challenge traditional beliefs only in the area of sexual monogamy. Strong
relationships outside the pair bond are still, for the most part, regarded as
threats rather than potentials for personal growth. Generally, contemporary
swingers view sex as a recreation, which is relatively consistent with a
consumer-oriented society, although there is development of personal growth and
change through swinging. Swinging may be a preservative rather than a catalyst
for change in the basic structure of the family in our society. Swinging may be
viewed as a bridge between old and new values for persons who need old values to
feel comfortable in our changing society. Swinging, for the most part, only
violates the sexual exclusivity value and not other basic values revolving
around the traditional nuclear family. Rules on sex, paternity, and social
relationships among swingers make it an adjunct to marriage rather than strictly
an alternative. Swinging supports rather than disrupts monogamous marriage as it
currently exists in our society.