Editing Open marriage (section)

==Lack of acceptance==
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===Christianity and other religions===
Some critics object to open marriages on the ground that open marriages violate religious principles. For example, open marriages contradict traditional [[Christian doctrine]]. Open marriages also violate the prohibition against [[adultery]] in the [[Ten Commandments]]. The definition of sexual immorality in [[Christianity]] includes the practices of open marriage and therefore it is considered an immutable reason for a dissolution of marriage. The [[Judaism|Jewish]] religion hold similar values as Christianity in these matters. Muslims or [[Islam]]ic teachings however allows for polygynous marriages albeit for the male partner only. Islam prohibits this practice for the female partner. The perceived validity of these objections depends entirely on individual faith.{{Cn|date=April 2025}} Generally, non-monogamous people tend not to be very religious. A 1998 review observed that, across the various studies, most swingers (approximately two-thirds) claimed to have [[Irreligion|no religious affiliation]].<ref name="Jenks, 1998">Jenks, R.J. (1998). Swinging: A review of the literature. ''Archives of Sexual Behavior'', 27, 507–521.</ref>

===Evidence of disapproval===
Surveys show consistently high disapproval of extramarital sex. Hunt mentions three general-population surveys conducted in the 1960s in which large majorities disapproved of extramarital sex under any conditions.<ref name="Hunt, 1974"/> More recent surveys show that 75–85 percent of adults in the United States disapprove of extramarital sex.<ref name="Glenn, Weaver, 1979">Glenn, N.D., & Weaver, C.N. (1979). Attitudes Toward Premarital, Extramarital, and Homosexual Relations in the U.S. in the 1970s. ''[[Journal of Sex Research]]'' '''15''', 108–118.</ref><ref name="Greeley, Michael, Smith, 1990">Greeley, A.M., R. T. Michael, R.T., & Smith, T.W. (1990). Americans and Their Sexual Partners. Society, 27, 36–42.</ref><ref name="Reiss, Anderson, Sponaugle, 1980">Reiss, I.L., Anderson, R.E., & Sponaugle, G.C. (1980). A Multivariate Model of the Determinants of Extramarital Sexual Permissiveness. ''Journal of Marriage and the Family'', 42, 395–411.</ref><ref name="Weis, Jurich, 1985">Weis, D.L., & Jurich, J. (1985). Size of Community of Residence as a Predictor of Attitudes Toward Extramarital Sexual Relations. ''Journal of Marriage and the Family'', 47, 173–179.</ref><ref name="Laumann, Gagnon, Michael, Michaels, 1994">Laumann, E.O., Gagnon, J.H., Michael, R.T., & Michaels, S. (1994). The social organization of sexuality: Sexual practices in the United States. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.</ref>
Similar levels of disapproval are observed in other Western societies. Widmer, Treas, and Newcomb surveyed over 33,500 people in 24 nations and found 85 percent of people believed extramarital sex was "always" or "nearly always" wrong.<ref name="Widmer, Treas, Newcomb, 1998">Widmer, E.D., Treas, J., & Newcomb, R. (1998). Attitudes toward nonmarital sex in 24 countries. ''Journal of Sex Research'', 35, 349–358.</ref> Much of the disapproval is attributed to "religious and moral reasons."<ref>{{cite web|title=The Slippery Slope of Open Marriage|url=https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/magnetic-partners/201307/the-slippery-slope-open-marriage|website=Psychology Today}}</ref>

A few studies have shown more direct disapproval of open marriage. In a national study of several hundred women and men, Hunt (1974) reported that around 75 percent of women and over 60 percent of men agreed with the statement "Mate-swapping is wrong."<ref name="Hunt, 1974"/> A 1975 study of several hundred men and women living in the midwestern United States found that 93 percent would not consider participating in swinging.<ref name="Spanier, Cole, 1975"/>
A 2005 study asked 111 college women about various forms of marriage and family.<ref name="Billingham, Perera, Ehlers, 2005">Billingham, R.E.,  Perera, P.B., & Ehlers, N.A. (2005). College women's rankings of the most undesirable marriage and family forms. College Student Journal, 39, 749–750.</ref>
These young women viewed open marriage as one of the least desirable forms of marriage, with 94 percent saying they would never participate in a marriage where the man has a right to sex outside the marriage, and 91 percent saying they would never participate in a marriage where the woman has a right to sex outside the marriage.

===Health concerns===
Studies in the 1970s found that engaging in sex with a greater number of partners increases risk of contracting [[sexually transmitted diseases]]. These concerns do not apply to open marriage alone, which would affect only 1 to 6 percent of the married population.<ref name="Hunt, 1974"/><ref name="Spanier, Cole, 1975"/><ref name="Jenks, 1998"/><ref name="Bartell, 1971">Bartell, G.D. (1971). Group Sex. New York, NY: New American Library.</ref> A 1985 study found that 33 percent of male swingers and 10 percent of female swingers claimed to actively fear this risk.<ref name="Murstein, Case, Gunn, 1985">Murstein, B.I., Case, D., & Gunn, S.P. (1985). Personality correlates of ex-swingers. Lifestyles 8, 21–34.</ref>
In a 1992 study, sexually transmitted diseases topped the list of disadvantages of swinging, and 58 percent of swingers expressed some fear of HIV/AIDS.<ref name="Jenks, 1998"/><ref name="Jenks, 1992">Jenks, (1992). Fear of AIDS among swingers. Annals of Sex Research, 5, 227–237.</ref>
In the 1990s some couples decided to drop out of open marriage lifestyles and become sexually monogamous in response to HIV/AIDS.<ref name="Jenks, 1992"/><ref name="Weinberg, Williams, Pryor, 1995">Weinberg, M.S., Williams, C.J., & Pryor, D.W. (1995). Dual Attraction: Understanding Bisexuality. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.</ref>

A 1998 study found that the risk of sexually transmitted diseases can be greatly reduced by practicing [[safer sex]]. However, the percentage of people in open marriages who practice safer sex remained disputed. Anecdotal observations ranged from claiming no one at a swing event practiced safer sex to claiming everyone at an event practiced safer sex. A survey of swingers found that "Over 62% said that they had changed their behaviors because of the AIDS scare. The two most frequently mentioned changes were being more selective with whom they swung and practicing safer sex (e.g., using condoms). Almost 7% said they had quit swinging because of the AIDS epidemic. Finally, one third said that they had not changed any of their habits, and, of these respondents, more than a third said nothing, not even AIDS, would get them to change."<ref name="Jenks, 1998"/>

===Psychological factors===
Several authors from 1974 t0 2000 considered open marriages to be psychologically damaging.<ref name="Hunt, 1974"/><ref name="Levinger, 1979">Levinger, G. (1979). A social psychological perspective on marital dissolution. In G. Levinger and O.C. Moles (Eds.), Divorce and Separation: Context, Causes, and Consequences. New York, NY: Basic Books.</ref><ref name="Bancroft, 1989">Bancroft, J. (1989). Human Sexuality and its Problems. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone.</ref><ref name="Turner, 1996">Turner, J.S. (1996). Encyclopedia of Relationships across the Lifespan. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press.</ref><ref name="Olds, Schwartz, 2000">Olds, J. &  Schwartz, R.S. (2000). Marriage in Motion: The Natural Ebb and Flow of Lasting Relationships. Cambridge, MA: Perseus Books.</ref>

A 1974 study found that some swinger couples experience problems and report that open marriage contributed to their divorces.<ref name="Denfeld, 1974">Denfeld, D. (1974). Dropouts from swinging. Family Coordinator, 23, 45-49.</ref>

Studies in the 1980s found that couples report high levels of satisfaction and enjoy long-lasting open marriages.<ref name="Buunk, 1980">Buunk B. (1980). Extramarital sex in the Netherlands: Motivations in social and marital context. Alternative Lifestyles, 3, 11–39.</ref><ref name="Rubin, 1982">Rubin A. M. (1982). Sexually open versus sexually exclusive marriage: A comparison of dyadic adjustment. Alternative Lifestyles, 5, 101–108.</ref><ref name="Rubin, Adams, 1986"/> A 1995 study found that some couples drop out of the open marriage lifestyle and return to sexual monogamy. These couples may continue to view open marriage as a valid lifestyle for others, but not for themselves.<ref name="Weinberg, Williams, Pryor, 1995"/>

===Loss of social support===
Strong social disapproval of open marriage may lead to a loss of psychological and health benefits. People in open marriages may hide their lifestyle from family, friends, and colleagues.<ref name="Jenks, 1998"/><ref name="Blumstein, Schwartz, 1983"/><ref name="Rust, 1996">Rust, P.C. (1996). ''Monogamy and polyamory: Relationship issues for bisexuals''. In B.A. Firestein (Ed.), Bisexuality: The Psychology and Politics of an Invisible Minority (pages 127–148). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.</ref>
Blumstein and Schwartz note:

{{Blockquote|Openly non-monogamous married and cohabiting couples often feel they are thought of as bizarre or immoral by the rest of their world. They have to work out their sex lives in opposition to the rest of society. They may have an understanding with each other, but they usually keep it secret from family, friends, and people at work. (Blumstein & Schwartz, 1983, p. 294–295)><ref name="Blumstein, Schwartz, 1983"/>}}

Keeping their lifestyles secret reduces the amount of social support available to people in open marriages.