"Conventional wisdom has it that men are more likely than women to crave, even need, variety in their sex lives."

"But of the 25 couples I encountered, a majority of the relationships were opened at the initiation of the women; only in six cases had it been the men. Even when the decision was mutual, the woman was usually the more sexually active outside the marriage. A suburban married man on OkCupid told me he had yet to date anyone, in contrast to his wife, whom he called 'an intimacy vampire.' There was a woman in Portland whose husband had lost interest in sex with anyone, not just her. A 36-year-old woman in Seattle said she opened her marriage after she heard about the concept from another young mom at her book club. Perhaps the women in the couples I encountered were more willing to tell their stories because they did not fit into predictable unflattering stereotypes about the male sex drive. But it was nonetheless striking to hear so many wives risk so much on behalf of their sexual happiness."

From a long NYT Magazine article by Susan Dominos, "Is an Open Marriage a Happier Marriage?/What the experiences of nonmonogamous couples can tell us about jealousy, love, desire and trust."

Lots of photographs and real names there. The opening story takes a surprising but — in retrospect — predictable turn. The man talks about going non-monogamous to the distress of his wife — talks and talks. And then guess what happens?