Shock Over Who Woman Slept With After Boyfriend Wanted Open Relationship

A woman has stunned the internet after revealing how she responded after her boyfriend said he wanted them to be in an open relationship.

It's a reaction that saw her branded "deranged" by her now ex-partner and, conversely, a hero among those responding to her account of events, which was shared to Reddit in a post under the handle u/LavenPersephone.

The post has since been removed by moderators, though not before it racked up over 38,000 upvotes and a glut of positive responses.

Open relationships might seem like an outlandish concept to the more traditional among us, but it would appear there is growing interest in the idea among U.S. adults. In 2021, a YouGovAmerica poll of more than 23,000 Americans found around a quarter were interested in having an open relationship.

Men were especially interested in non-monogamy with 32 percent approving of the concept, compared with just 19 percent of women polled.

However, the story shared by u/LavenPersephone could leave some reassessing their stance. The woman described how, last month, her boyfriend of two years told her he wanted an open relationship as all men have an "innate desire" to sleep with as many women as possible.

"He said that women are attracted to men like him who are in their peak physical shape and that he should take advantage of that," she wrote. "Something about men wanting to spread their seed far and wide."

The woman said she did not see it coming at all and was "appalled" at what he suggested, especially after he went on to stress that she was still "wife material" and the woman he wanted to come home to every night.

She said she told him it was "fine" and asked if he was planning on dating anyone specifically. He then revealed he had already signed up to Tinder and had already arranged a date.

Despite her outward appearance, inside she was fuming, as she knew that he was aware the new arrangement only benefited him as she was too "sweet and loyal" and was also "not into casual flings."

She quickly hatched a plan for revenge. "So, he has a 19-year-old brother and I called him the following day," she wrote. "I explained the open relationship situation to him and asked if he's interested in some fun."

They ended up sleeping together later that night. When she next saw her boyfriend she described how she had hooked up with a "younger" man, before revealing that it was his brother. He did not take the news well.

"He had a complete meltdown and called me all sorts of slurs under the sun," she said. "I told him it's natural for me to want someone like his younger brother...you know, peak physical form and all that."

Though she has since told him the relationship is over, he said he is willing to forgive her "deranged" actions, though insisted she needed therapy after doing something so evil.

The woman, however, remains unapologetic. Addressing women directly she wrote: "Don't give your everything to someone who doesn't care. Break it off and find someone who wants to be with you."

Commenting on the dilemma, Katherine Glaser, a licensed clinical social worker with nationwide in-person and online counseling service, Thriveworks, told Newsweek: "Open relationships can be very fulfilling to some couples, while for others it's quite tricky.

"In order to transition from a traditional relationship to an open one without damaging trust, the couple needs to stick to some pretty clear guidelines. Respect, boundaries and communication are essential. Boundaries have to be discussed before entering into the new open relationship. What is okay with one partner may not be with the other."

These boundaries might be the establishment of rules that make it clear friends and family are off limits and that safe sex is practiced each and every time. She also stressed the need for healthy communication and respect between partners.

"Check in with each other about how they are doing in the new type of relationship, never dismiss your partner's feelings," Glaser added. "Communication: one should be able to communicate if feelings of jealousy arise, one should be able to set new boundaries as they come up. Remember, this is new for both of you."

In this instance, however, most of the comments on Reddit sided firmly with the woman and even praised her for her actions.

"She didn't leave the family tree! She just climbed one branch down," one Redditor joked with another commenting: "You taught him a valuable life lesson. Just because someone is sweet, nice, and maybe even submissive when you treat them well doesn't mean they are automatically a doormat."

A third, meanwhile, added: "He literally already had Tinder on his phone before he approached her. He was already cheating."

Newsweek reached out to u/LavenPersephone for comment. We could not verify the details of the case.

Have you noticed any red flags that made you end a relationship? Let us know via life@newsweek.com. We can ask experts for advice, and your story could be featured on Newsweek.

Specialists from the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN) sexual assault hotline are available 24/7 via phone (1) (800) 656-4673) and online chat. Additional support from the group is also accessible via the mobile app.