by Guest » Mon Oct 20, 2008 1:44 pm
Here are my thoughts
1. Always be honest. In my experience they will not stop seeing you just because you are upfront about being non-exclusive. If exclusivity were a requirement they would have made that a requirement for sex in the first place, so being clear about being non-exclusive is not a change in status. It's a clarification of the existing status.
2. I would avoid using the word 'relationship' because it carries with it a whole bunch of connotations (frames) that are not consistent with or not helpful to the non-exclusive frame. An "open relationship" evokes images (at least to me) of "couples" who have sex on the side (swingers, etc.) which is atypical, or at least not mainstream. But two people who simply like each other and have sex with each other is very common and very normal.
Also, from the fact that it made you uncomfortable, it sounds like you're sorta holding the relationship frame yourself, and that asking for non-exclusivity is something unusual to ask for. It's a good thing it was over text, or your discomfort would have been apparent, and that would have made her uncomfortable, no matter what you said.
When this subject comes up (and sometimes I'll bring it up), I hit on a few mutually reinforcing themes:
A) I like you.
B) I'm not looking for a girlfriend right now.
C) I don't want to hurt you.
I need to tell you that I like you (A), but I'm not ready for a girlfriend right now (B). I don't want to lead you on, even though it might not be what you want to hear (C) because I care about you more than I care about just the sex (A). I like having sex with you (A) but if you don't want to, I'll understand [never happens]. In the past I have sometimes let this issue go without addressing it, and the girl ended up with expectations and ended up getting hurt, and I want to avoid that (C).
You can mix and match the themes and weave them together how you want, that's just an example.