I think when we all think of the term “slut” we incorporate all different negative connotations with the word. We are socialized to believe that monogamous relationships are the only moral and/or normal relationships available to us.  Dossie Easton and Janet Hardy, through their book The Ethical Slut, depict a blissful way of managing open relationships without struggles. The authors define the term slut as “a person of any gender who has the courage to lead life according to the radical proposition that sex is nice and pleasure is good for you.” Instead of using slut as a derogatory term as a label for a promiscuous person, it is used to indicate a person who is accepting of their enjoyment of sex and the pleasure of intimacy with others, chooses to engage and accept these in an ethical and open way, rather than as cheating.

The Ethical Slut discusses how to live an active life with multiple coexisting sexual relationships in a fair and honest way. Discussion topics include how to deal with the practical difficulties and opportunities in finding and keeping partners, maintaining relationships with others, and strategies for personal growth. This book contains chapters discussing how consensual nonmonogamy is handled in different subcultures such as the gay and lesbian communities, information on handling scheduling, jealousy, communication, conflict in relationships, and etiquette for group sexual encounters.

When both genders feel free to answer yes or no with no concern for anything but their own desires, a truer understanding, and a more positive sexuality can be achieved. For example, Dossie Easton writes, “we see ourselves as the ‘walking wounded’ – by people who have been deeply, if not irrevocably, injured by fear, shame, and hatred of their own sexual selves. We believe that happy connected sex is the cure for these wounds, that it is important, possibly even essential, to most people’s sense of self-worth, to their belief that life is good. We have never met anyone who had low self-esteem at the moment of orgasm.” Dossie Easton and Janet Hardy are extremely passionate about their beliefs and they are dedicated to helping everyone understand that beyond the unrealistic ideal of lifetime monogamy lies an uncharted jungle of delightful options- everything from committed multi-partner relationships to friendly sex, casual sex, group sex and more.

I think when we all think of the term “slut” we incorporate all different negative connotations with the word. We are socialized to believe that monogamous relationships are the only moral and/or normal relationships available to us.  Dossie Easton and Janet Hardy, through their book The Ethical Slut, depict a blissful way of managing open relationships without struggles. The authors define the term slut as “a person of any gender who has the courage to lead life according to the radical proposition that sex is nice and pleasure is good for you.” Instead of using slut as a derogatory term as a label for a promiscuous person, it is used to indicate a person who is accepting of their enjoyment of sex and the pleasure of intimacy with others, chooses to engage and accept these in an ethical and open way, rather than as cheating.

The Ethical Slut discusses how to live an active life with multiple coexisting sexual relationships in a fair and honest way. Discussion topics include how to deal with the practical difficulties and opportunities in finding and keeping partners, maintaining relationships with others, and strategies for personal growth. This book contains chapters discussing how consensual nonmonogamy is handled in different subcultures such as the gay and lesbian communities, information on handling scheduling, jealousy, communication, conflict in relationships, and etiquette for group sexual encounters.

When both genders feel free to answer yes or no with no concern for anything but their own desires, a truer understanding, and a more positive sexuality can be achieved. For example, Dossie Easton writes, “we see ourselves as the ‘walking wounded’ – by people who have been deeply, if not irrevocably, injured by fear, shame, and hatred of their own sexual selves. We believe that happy connected sex is the cure for these wounds, that it is important, possibly even essential, to most people’s sense of self-worth, to their belief that life is good. We have never met anyone who had low self-esteem at the moment of orgasm.” Dossie Easton and Janet Hardy are extremely passionate about their beliefs and they are dedicated to helping everyone understand that beyond the unrealistic ideal of lifetime monogamy lies an uncharted jungle of delightful options- everything from committed multi-partner relationships to friendly sex, casual sex, group sex and more.