Can you cheat in an open relationship?

Open relationships may allow you to have multiple sexual and romantic encounters. But there are still ways in which you can betray a partner.

In our culture, monogamous relationships are praised as the ideal. Anything that falls outside this can feel threatening. Open relationships represent an alternative to the dominant social construct, a chance to break the mold and live authentically in a way that makes you and your partners happy.

In this vein of sex-positive thinking, it’s interesting to explore the nearly universal issues that all couples face. Both monogamous and non-monogamous people build relationships together. Doing so means setting boundaries, establishing communication, and having a mutual understanding of what your relationship means.

Cheating in open relationships: Is it even possible?
The straight answer is: YES. Yes, it is possible to cheat in open relationships. Open relationships have boundaries and guidelines that are mutually agreed upon by the partners or parties involved. Cheating is essentially the breaking of such agreements. Cheating is a betrayal and can happen in any relationship. says Moushumi Ghose, MFT, a licensed sex therapist. 

Polyamorous couples/triads/quads etc. place more of an emphasis on romantic and emotional relationships with multiple partners than strictly sexually open relationships. The beauty of an open dynamic is that it means different things to different people. ‘Polyamorous folks believe that love is infinite and we are able to love a variety of different people in a variety of different ways,’ Ghose says.

Ghose says that it’s important to set up clearly communicated boundaries beforehand. You need to get clear about what is expected, what is accepted, what is comfortable, and what is not comfortable. This means having clear expectations before going into open scenarios like dating or parties.

It’s important to remember that cheating is a betrayal of trust and that it doesn’t matter whether you’re in an open or closed relationship. 

For additional information about the Article, click here and read more

Doubling as LAST’s practice manager and intake coordinator, Caitlin is a writer and creative with a passion for sex-positivity, LGBTQIA advocacy, and mental health care.

Caitlin earned her bachelor’s degree in communications from Northwestern University, and now flexes those communication muscles by teaching medical students humanism skills, coaching athletes in functional fitness, and learning from and working with LAST to promote, amplify, and normalize the importance of sexual and mental health.