QuoteNate and I met at university. He was studying to be a doctor, I was reading law. We were both ambitious and determined to make the world better. Raised as a Christian, I was so naive I'd never even met a lesbian before university, and believed sex before marriage to be immoral. So Nate planned an elaborate proposal involving chocolate-dipped strawberries, a limousine and a secluded scenic spot in Idaho in the US, where he got down on one knee.

Everyone had told me my marriage would improve as soon as Nate's career was cemented, yet I felt miserable every time he rejected my advances in bed, my feelings manifesting into endless arguments about school pick-ups, the dishwasher, whose turn it was to walk the dog.

I suggested we open our marriage. Of course this also meant that I needed to think how I would feel should Nate sleep with another woman. And I knew that this would be acceptable to me. He said he had no interest, and that with me and the kids and his work he felt perfectly fulfilled without the need to bring in anyone extra. He recognised that we are not the same, however, and I know he believed me when I said I didn't want to end the marriage.

By June 2022, five months after our anniversary meal, Nate said: "Look, this is fine if you really want this. Do what you need to do, just don't tell me about it."

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/health-fitness/wellbeing/sex/open-marriage-threesome-anniversary-dinner/ (https://archive.ph/zj20V)

QuoteDuring a long-term relationship, I found myself co-creating a new music festival with an older mentor and friend. At first, it was innocent: writing grants after class, trading notes in a shared Google Doc. I admired his drive, his obvious talent. But admiration has a way of slipping its bounds. Soon, I felt that familiar, muscle-melting pull at the mere mention of his name.

As the months passed, we were pulling all-nighters, contacting venues, creating floor plans, evaluating artist applications, united in a common purpose and building a shared world from scratch. I found my mind wandering: what other worlds might we be capable of sharing? Electric fingers grazed my leg under the table. I was sick with confusion, regret, desire. I was in trouble.

https://www.dailywire.com/news/no-crushes-wont-help-your-marriage (https://archive.ph/Uz1xY)

QuoteSome states, including Mississippi, South Dakota, and North Carolina, still allow spouses to bring "alienation of affection," or "homewrecker," lawsuits against third parties accused of ending their marriages. To win, the plaintiff must prove that the "accused individual took steps that a reasonable person would expect and did result in the ending of the affectionate marriage between the couple."

These lawsuits are especially prevalent in North Carolina, where former Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I–Ariz.) was sued by the ex-wife of Sinema's security guard in 2025, according to a recent piece in The Wall Street Journal. Sinema "admitted to the affair but disputed many of the specific claims," the Journal reported. She claims the relationship with the security guard occurred outside of North Carolina and has filed a motion to dismiss the case.

These lawsuits are more than symbolic revenge tactics. Plaintiffs often seek, and may be awarded, hefty payouts. In Sinema's case, the plaintiff, Heather Ammel, is seeking over $25,000 in compensatory damages for injuries caused by the former senator's "willful and wanton conduct." That's a small sum compared to some other cases in North Carolina, where there is no limit on compensatory damages. In November, a North Carolina jury ordered a TikTok influencer accused of seducing a woman's husband to pay $1.75 million in damages. In 2011, another North Carolina woman was ordered to pay $30 million in damages to the ex-wife of a business owner in an alienation of affection suit. 

https://reason.com/2026/04/24/why-homewrecking-in-north-carolina-could-cost-you-millions/ (https://archive.ph/tJrjl)

QuoteMy wife and I have been together for many years and have raised wonderful children. We have close friends, a beautiful home and, thankfully, our health. She's my best friend, and the light and love of my life. We are, and have always been, happy together.

However, my wife is also a narcissist from a long line of narcissists. There's no doubt that her belittling and dismissive behavior toward me is unintentional, but it is hurtful nonetheless. I have told her it's demeaning, and I have tried to get her to modify her behavior by pointing out how it affects me.

...My insight is this: You can't change another adult's behavior. Your wife won't curb this bad habit until she's forced to do so. Draw the line. Tell her you will no longer accept what she has been doing and that you are going to consult a marriage and family therapist. (Licensed, of course. Your doctor can refer you.) Invite her to come with you if she sincerely wants to change, but if she refuses, go without her because it will be enlightening.

https://nypost.com/2026/04/26/lifestyle/dear-abby-how-do-i-fix-my-narcissist-wife/ (https://archive.ph/3ipqT)

QuoteSex is concentrated within a small, yet sexually active, group of people. In one study, it was reported that the 5% of the population with the highest number of vaginal sex acts (penile–vaginal intercourse) accounted for more vaginal sex acts than the bottom 50% of the population with the lowest number of vaginal sex acts. The 5% is thus having half the (penile–vaginal) sex in the world.

Using the Gini index, it is found that the distribution of the number of sex partners both for men and women throughout their lifespan is as unequal as the distribution of wealth among the most unequal countries in the world (South Africa Gini 0.63 in 2014 and Namibia Gini 0.59 in 2015). The number of female sex partners is more unequally distributed among single men (Gini 0.60) than the number of male sex partners is among single women (Gini 0.58) although both male and female sex partners are highly concentrated among people.

While sex is not like money or wealth in every aspect, the lack of access to sexual experiences can be seen as a concern for distributive justice6 and a problem for public health since an active sex life is beneficial for people's health and well-being.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bioe.13134

QuoteA total of 93,642 individuals (3.9 %) had at least one violent conviction. The distribution of convictions was highly skewed; 24,342 persistent violent offenders (1.0 % of the total population) accounted for 63.2 % of all convictions. Persistence in violence was associated with male sex (OR 2.5), personality disorder (OR 2.3), violent crime conviction before age 19 (OR 2.0), drug-related offenses (OR 1.9), nonviolent criminality (OR 1.9), substance use disorder (OR 1.9), and major mental disorder (OR 1.3).

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3969807/