Swinging
Swinging, sometimes referred to as the swinging lifestyle or simply the lifestyle, includes a wide range of sexual activities conducted between three or more people. Swinging activities can include watching others have sex, having sex with your partner while being watched (both are termed 'soft' swinging), or exchanging partners and having sex (which is the most common definition).
Typically swinging activities occur when a married, or otherwise committed, couple engages in the abovementioned activies with a similar couple or a single male(s), female(s) or both. These acts may or may not occur in the same room and may or may not include bisexual interaction.
Some 'lifestyle' activities are highly organized. Most major cities have at least one major swing club in a permanent location. These clubs often keep a low profile to avoid negative attention. Swingers also meet through lifestyle magazines, personal ads, swinging house parties, and the Internet.
Some swingers consider the Lifestyle to be a distinct subculture.
Etiquette in the lifestyle is paramount, and the comfort of all participants is crucial. Generally recognized ground rules in "wife swapping" clubs include
- "Keep your hands to yourself" means don't touch anyone without asking
- "No means no" signifying that rejection of a sexual proposal does not require justification and must always be respected
- "Be polite" implies ultimate courtesy such as the use of a condom if requested
Violation of the ground rules are often causes of immediate expulsion.
According to Terry Gould's The Lifestyle: A Look at the Erotic Rites of Swingers (ISBN 1552094820), swinging began among U.S. Air Force pilots and their wives during World War II.
The random partner swapping "key party" depicted in Ang Lee's film The Ice Storm (adapted from the novel by Rick Moody) has been reported by someone who attended such parties in the midwest (indiana) in the 1950's. "Key parties", according to this source, were small (3 to 12) couple events where everyone knew everyone else, so all combinations of partners were pleased to spend an evening with each other.
Another movie that talks about Swinging and its effects on the lives of a married couple with kids who seek some sexual adventures is Zebra Lounge.
Another movie involving swinging is The Blood Oranges, in which two western couples, one with children, come together in the fictional Mediterranean village of Ilyria. The film was adapted from the novel by John Hawkes.
Another novel that features swinging is John Irving's The 158-Pound Marriage, in which two New England college professors and their wives enter a menage a quatre with disastrous consequences.
The movie "group sex, open marriage, polyamory
