Monogamy is a form of sexual, romantic, or intimate relationship with one person at a time. Monogamous relationships involve just two consenting adults. Maintaining a monogamous relationship is not for those unwilling to partner with commitment and loyalty. Some say that maintaining monogamous relationships in this era is an uphill task. People think that it’s not just difficult but impossible to stick to one person. However, how hard can it be? Have you ever wondered how couples manage to last 50 years in marriage and still have so much love for each other? Have you ever stopped to think why someone will choose only one person to spend forever with when there are over a billion souls across the globe?
Of course, a relationship requires hard work; however, a monogamous relationship is not so difficult to maintain once you are ready for it.
Monogamous relationships involve intimate bonding, a permanent pair bond between two beings or animals.
I know that there is this infidelity and insecurity question amongst our peers, but why worry when it’s just two people involved?
Monogamous relationships give you no cause for jealousy. Once you and your partner keep your vows and promises to each other, there is no cause for alarm.
Do I need to mention that in monogamous relationships, there is no need to worry about STDs? It’s cool, right? Having sex with just one person helps you worry less about all these sexually transmitted diseases.
Tips For Maintaining Monogamous Relationships
Every relationship requires a lot of hard work, dedication, and commitment. It is not just about being in love. Finding the right person to spend the rest of your life with can be difficult unless it’s done the right way.
If you are finding it difficult or you are thinking of practicing Monogamy, here are some tips for you.
- Being monogamous means being committed. Know that you have to be prepared for your body, soul, and mind.
- Trust is a very essential commodity in a relationship. Thus, for you to practice Monogamy, you should be able to trust your partner in and with everything.
- Your intimacy rate should be over a hundred percent. Not just sexually but also emotionally, financially, psychologically, morally and otherwise.
- Always be sure to enjoy your partner’s company so much that you don’t want to be anywhere else.
- There should be a certain level of understanding between you and your partner. Learn to treat each other with respect and equality.
- You must communicate with each other often. Communication plays a vital role in every relationship.
- Learn to solve your problems together. Avoid the interference of a third party, be it family or close friends.
- Always give each other maximum attention and respect each other’s decisions.
- Don’t just be partners! Be best friends, lovers, and playmates.
- Never be in a haste to blame each other for or about anything.
- Monogamy is honesty, trust, fidelity, commitment, respect, and so much more. Always bear that in mind!
What is the Difference Between Monogamy and Polyamory?
Monogamy refers to a relationship’s exclusivity. Monogamy is encouraged and occasionally required in many religions. Monogamous marriages are required by the federal government and all 50 states in the United States.
Polyamory is defined as having multiple sexual or romantic partners. Having more than one spouse is polygamy.
Polygamy can take many forms. Polygyny refers to a man having multiple wives, while polyandry refers to a woman having multiple husbands. In the United States, neither form is legal.
How to Explore Monogamy with Your Partner
If you want to be in a monogamous relationship, talk to your spouse about it.
You should both be able to lay out expectations about what you want from the relationship and what you’re comfortable with to minimize confusion and doubt.
Monogamous couples may occasionally desire sexual interactions with others. Many polygamous couples want a more committed, exclusive connection. There is no right or wrong response; however, it is critical to discuss these topics so that both partners can agree on what they expect from one another.
Signs That Monogamy Is a Problem
Sometimes, it will be clear that monogamy does not work from the beginning of a relationship. Other times, it may take years to understand the issue. These red flags may signal a problem:
- One partner feels strongly about exploring other or multiple relationships
- One partner has been unfaithful
- The couple can’t agree on boundaries
- One or both partners are not bothered by the thought of the other being with someone else
- One or both partners feel limited or trapped
These issues can often be resolved in couples therapy or alone, but they could also be signs that you need a change.
Monogamy vs. nonmonogamy
Nonmonogamy is the polar opposite of monogamy and covers practices such as polygamy, polyamory, open relationships, and more. In recent years, consensual or ethical nonmonogamy has gained in popularity, with more than one in every five persons claiming to have been in a consensually nonmonogamous relationship.
A person may have more than one romantic or sexual partner at the same time in consensually nonmonogamous partnerships. Importantly, all parties are aware of the other partners and joyfully consent to the dynamic, implying that it is not “cheating,” but rather a deliberate element of the relationship.
“Ethical nonmonogamy is founded on the concept of cultivating a relationship built on the foundation of nonmonogamy using socially acceptable rules and morally driven methods,” psychotherapist Cheyenne Taylor, LMSW, recently told mbg. “ENM” stands for “not cheating or behaving without your partner’s consent.”
Types of nonmonogamous relationships
Here are just a few types of nonmonogamous relationships:
#1. Polyamory
A relationship style in which people may have multiple romantic or sexual relationships simultaneously.
#2. Open relationships
Relationships in which one or both partners are currently looking for a new love or sexual companion. (For more information, see our guide on open relationships.)
#3. Triads
A throuple is a committed romantic relationship between three persons. (Quads are the same as regular quads but for four persons.)
#4. Vee or “V” relationships
A three-person relationship is one in which two people are dating the same person but not each other. The “pivot” or “hinge” that connects the units is the shared partner.
#5. Relationship anarchy
A relationship strategy is one in which there are no set rules or expectations about what is and isn’t acceptable in a relationship other than the rules that the interested partners agree on. These partnerships are typically non-hierarchical, which means that no one partner is more significant than the other.
#6. Monogamish
A relationship between two individuals is primarily monogamous, but in certain situations—such as sex parties, threesomes, or other occasions they may have sex with other people.
Is monogamy better for relationships?
According to Shuavarnnasri, monogamy is not inherently better than nonmonogamy, and vice versa. “Some couples benefit from monogamy, while others do not.”
Some individuals believe that nonmonogamous partnerships are intrinsically less devoted or secure; however, studies show that people who are in consensually nonmonogamous relationships are more dedicated to their long-term relationships.
They continue: “Humans are multifaceted and complex, and our relationships will always reflect this. Love is the one thing that every human being requires, although how we get it varies.”
Is monogamy better for society?
According to a study, Monogamy has had primarily favorable or negative consequences on communities that practice it. Monogamy fosters gender equality (in contrast to polygamous societies, which often allow males to marry numerous women but not the other way around) and provides a more stable environment for children, according to some common reasons. Many specialists, however, are skeptical about these views.
“When a girl is born into a family, she adopts her father’s last name as a signal of the home that ‘owns’ her,” Shuavarnnasri notes, adding, “When a girl is born into a family, she adopts her father’s last name as a signal of the household that ‘owns’ her.” The custom of a father escorting his daughter down the aisle is believed to represent the transfer of property to the soon-to-be husband, which is reinforced by the bride taking her husband’s surname.”
While this isn’t to suggest that all marriages are patriarchal or that monogamous unions are intrinsically repressive to women, Shuavarnnasri points out that monogamy has traditionally been a powerful instrument for sustaining male domination over women. Of course, many people today enter more egalitarian monogamous relationships, but the conventional division of work in heterosexual couples continues to have significant economic effects on women.
Similarly, Shuavarnnasri contends that monogamy is not always the best or even the easiest way to raise a child.
“It’s no secret that raising a family requires significant time and money. With the escalating cost of living, schooling, and housing, many millennials, including me, are realizing that a dual-income household isn’t enough to keep a family healthy. Because both parents spend most of their time working, they must work and earn enough money to pay for daycare “they draw attention to.
Are monogamous relationships realistic?
If we mean realistically for the species of humans, then the answer is clear: yes. In various cultures around the world, people are able to engage in lifelong monogamous relationships. … Frequently, those relationships are termed polyamorous, which means concurrent emotional relationships with more than one other person.
Are monogamous relationships outdated?
The current model of lifelong, cohabiting monogamous partnership has never been such an outdated ideal. We are living longer for a start. One-third of babies born today are now expected to live to 100, according to the National Office of Statistics. A woman born in 1850 could expect her marriage to last 29 years.
Is it bad to be monogamous?
Monogamy, the practice of having only one sexual and/or romantic partner at a time, in itself is not a bad, lesser, or toxic structure for romantic relationships.
