What is ethical non-monogamy?
Ethical non-monogamy is the umbrella for any relationship with more than one connection, openly and with consent. Here is what ENM actually covers.
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Ethical non-monogamy, or ENM, is the umbrella term for any relationship where people have more than one romantic or sexual connection, out in the open and with everyone’s consent. Polyamory sits under it. So do swinging, open relationships and a lot more. The ethical part is the point. Everyone knows, everyone agrees, and nobody is being deceived.
What sits under the umbrella varies enormously. Some people want multiple loving relationships, some want their committed pair plus the freedom to play, some want something with no template at all. ENM is the word that holds all of it without claiming any one version is the real one.
What it is not is cheating. The defining line is consent and honesty. Everyone involved has the full picture and has agreed to it.
These are starting points, not rulebooks. Language here is personal, and yours might differ.
This is the starting point for ethical non-monogamy. More guides are coming soon.