Summary of Tristan Taormino's Opening Up

By IRB Media

Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. Book Preview:

#1 Swinging began as a hidden subculture, but by the 1960s, it had become popular among mainly white, affluent heterosexual couples who lived in the suburbs. The media reported on a new phenomenon in the suburbs called wife swapping in the 1950s.

#2 Swingers were initially described as being either recreational or utopian, with the latter being a smaller group of philosophical utopians who dreamed of forming a community and living together.

#3 In 1972, when most discussions about nonmonogamy concerned swinging, Nena and George O'Neill proposed a new relationship model that could include nonmonogamy. Their book Open Marriage: A New Life Style for Couples, based on interviews they conducted as well as their own personal philosophies, sold over 1. 5 million copies.

#4 In 1973, Larry and Joan Constantine coined the term multilateral marriage in their book Group Marriage: A Study of Contemporary Multilateral Marriage. They studied a fairly diverse group of people, and made astute observations about them.

• Language: English
• Publisher: IRB Media
• Release date: Apr 21, 2022
• ISBN: 9781669389804

IRB Media

With IRB books, you can get the key takeaways and analysis of a book in 15 minutes. We read every chapter, identify the key takeaways and analyze them for your convenience.

Book preview

Insights on Tristan Taormino's Opening Up

Contents

Insights from Chapter 1

Insights from Chapter 2

Insights from Chapter 3

Insights from Chapter 4

Insights from Chapter 5

Insights from Chapter 6

Insights from Chapter 7

Insights from Chapter 8

Insights from Chapter 9

Insights from Chapter 10

Insights from Chapter 11

Insights from Chapter 12

Insights from Chapter 13

Insights from Chapter 14

Insights from Chapter 15

Insights from Chapter 16

Insights from Chapter 17

Insights from Chapter 18

Insights from Chapter 19

Insights from Chapter 20

Insights from Chapter 21

Insights from Chapter 22

Insights from Chapter 23

Insights from Chapter 1

#1

Swinging began as a hidden subculture, but by the 1960s, it had become popular among mainly white, affluent heterosexual couples who lived in the suburbs. The media reported on a new phenomenon in the suburbs called wife swapping in the 1950s.

#2

Swingers were initially described as being either recreational or utopian, with the latter being a smaller group of philosophical utopians who dreamed of forming a community and living together.

#3

In 1972, when most discussions about nonmonogamy concerned swinging, Nena and George O'Neill proposed a new relationship model that could include nonmonogamy. Their book Open Marriage: A New Life Style for Couples, based on interviews they conducted as well as their own personal philosophies, sold over 1. 5 million copies.

#4

In 1973, Larry and Joan Constantine coined the term multilateral marriage in their book Group Marriage: A Study of Contemporary Multilateral Marriage. They studied a fairly diverse group of people, and made astute observations about them.

#5

Swinging, open marriage, and multilateral marriage were the first forms of organized, documented nonmonogamy for heterosexuals. Public, recreational, and multipartner sex among gay men has been around since before swinging.

#6

The 1970s and 1980s saw the emergence of gay male sex and S/M clubs, and lesbian and bisexual women began to borrow these spaces for their own parties. In the 1990s and early 2000s, there was a surge of writing by queer women about nontraditional sexuality and relationships.

#7

The word polyamory may have roots in the 1960s, when utopian communes began forming in San Francisco. In the 1990s, several books were published on the subject, and the Internet allowed people to connect with one another online.

#8

There are hundreds of polyamorous organizations, support groups, Listservs, and online communities today. However, there hasn’t been enough research on polyamorous people to produce many meaningful statistics.

Insights from Chapter 2

#1

The belief that humans are monogamous is false. In fact, most animal species are not monogamous. Only a few dozen species choose one mate, have sex with only that mate, and stay with that mate until one or both die(s).

#2

The myth that monogamy is natural, normal, and moral has been reinforced by institutions, including religion, government, and the media. What is normal is always open to debate. As for what is moral, religious conservatives have a stranglehold on morality in this country.

#3

Polygamy, a term used by academics, anthropologists, and researchers, is the