Who doesn’t love the idea of spicing up their relationship? While most of us might think a roll of the naughty dice or a sexy outfit might do, others, like the Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, are looking for something a little more hardcore. Since humans have been walking upright, sex has been the best thing since sliced bread. But unlike peanut butter and jelly, no one thought swingers and Mormons could be in the same sentence. However, times are changing, and with the release of the Hulu series, some burning questions need answers. Mainly, what the hell is soft swinging?
Let’s talk about sex, baby
The idea of causal sex isn’t new. Even though we might like to think we invented the wheel, it isn’t the case. However, it is important to note that sex is highly culturally specific, which is why the Mormon scandal rocked the close-knit community. While there is no gene that drives sex, changes in sexuality over time have made the modern family what it is. The idea of love marriages has only been widespread for the last hundred years. According to The Week, the origins of marriage are quite interesting.
The outlet noted, “For thousands of years before that, most anthropologists believe, families consisted of loosely organized groups of as many as 30 people, with several male leaders, multiple women shared by them, and children.” Even the Neanderthals slept around. Homo sapiens are an odd breed: We love to hear about someone else’s torrid affair, all the while dreaming of our knight in shining armor. Whether you believe in marriage or not, many of the oldest cultures, like the Hebrews, Greeks, and Romans, embraced the idea. But marrying was never for love. It was about money and procreation. Maybe these particular Mormons are on to something.
The Mormon way
When it comes to the Mormon religion, most believe that the man is the head of the household and follows very traditional ways of thinking. The rules of Mormon marriage are pretty finite: Don’t fornicate before marriage; commit to your spouse for life; marry to build a family. I once heard a Mormon claim that only grace can satisfy. Evidently, she didn’t get Whitney’s sex toy ad in her algorithm. So when the Secret Lives of Mormon Wives popped up on Hulu, my interest peaked. The trailer claimed that there was going to be a doozy of a sex scandal, so naturally, I was hooked.
It turned out that Taylor Frankie Paul was the most liberated and open about her sex life. She wasn’t one of the believers who wore church undergarments, and she didn’t believe in monogamy. For this, she was considered a black sheep and looked down on. But in reality, she was just sexually liberated. However, free spirit or not, you’re in trouble if you break an agreement with your spouse. It turns out that even though Taylor had permission to soft swing, she caved and went all the way. The one moment of ecstasy must have been really worth it.
So, what is soft swinging?
According to Taylor, there is no real definition. But for her, it’s “when you just hook up, but you don’t go all the way.” However, Seeking.com defines the act as “The custom of engaging in sexual activities with your partner in the same room as another couple, but not swapping or sharing partners.” This doesn’t seem very clear because Taylor definitely swapped partners. Urban Dictionary, on the other hand, notes, “Soft swinging is when two couples get together one or both partners of each couple ‘play’ with a partner from the other couple, but no penetration occurs.” This is the definition we are going to use at this time, ladies and gents. Soft swinging is seen as the gateway to full swinging.
The act is said to provide an opportunity for curious couples to try some new moves out, especially in a swinging scene. For many, it might be uncomfortable to think about engaging in sexual activities with anyone else but your spouse, but soft swinging is becoming more and more popular. Even more surprisingly, soft swinging has been seen as an upward sex trend since 2022. Basically, soft swinging allows couples to enjoy non-penetrative sex with people outside their marriage, as opposed to entirely swapping partners.
TELL US – WHAT DO YOU THINK OF SOFT SWINGING? DO YOU THINK THE SERIES WILL GET A SECOND SEASON?
