Intimate vs. Friendship

Somegeezer

New member
Something I've had in my head for months now is, how do I tell the difference between someone I want to be intimate with and someone I should just stay friends with. My main example is being torn between 2 mono girls whom I love dearly, but really couldn't "choose" one over the other. My common sense says just stay friends, because I wouldn't want to hurt the other by doing something like that. I would love to be with them both and even talked to them both about it, but they are straight and only want 1 person to be with. They even said they would not feel comfortable with me being with someone else whilst I was with them. That bit is fine, as I have been in mono relationships always, but recently, really wanted to just do what has felt natural for as long as I can remember and just love. I think it would be hard for me to just be friends with people I care for so much, but I suppose you get used to it when you live a poly lifestyle. I'm just guessing here. I'm new to this and only just starting out with it all. Any and all advice is appreciated greatly. =]
 
I have a boyfriend that I don't have sex with. I love him and care about him as I do my other partners, but having sex would cause many issues for us that we are not wanting to have to deal with. We decided that it would be best to figure out other ways to find intimacy. We have done a good job so far and are content with what we have.

I suggest that you look for sex elsewhere and keep them both as good friends...

I am not so sure mono folk would get the intimacy without sex thing as it really is close to being together. I can't imagine a mono partner being okay with there partner having a friend that is that close, but I am not mono, so what do I know. Mono, my SO, gets it and he is mono, but I don't know if it is a popular choice in monoland. If you see what I mean.

I think I might let them know that you are moving on to other choices of women because you don't want to hurt them by getting sexually and emotionally involved, but that you are really keen to be close friends.
 
I am not so sure mono folk would get the intimacy without sex thing as it really is close to being together. I can't imagine a mono partner being okay with there partner having a friend that is that close, but I am not mono, so what do I know. Mono, my SO, gets it and he is mono, but I don't know if it is a popular choice in monoland. If you see what I mean.

I wouldn't say I "get it" but I am not uncomfortable with my partner having close male friends like I would have been in the past. Many mono people are threatened by their partners having close friends of the opposite gender. I'm just not one of them anymore :)

If you are new to poly and just starting out though, I highly recommend you engage other poly people in a relationship first. Your life will be possibly much easier and certainly have greater freedom. Just a suggestion. :)
 
I wouldn't say I "get it" but I am not uncomfortable with my partner having close male friends like I would have been in the past. Many mono people are threatened by their partners having close friends of the opposite gender. I'm just not one of them anymore :)

If you are new to poly and just starting out though, I highly recommend you engage other poly people in a relationship first. Your life will be possibly much easier and certainly have greater freedom. Just a suggestion. :)

Just to make clear, I'm not actually looking for anything sexual as such. Just closer than just friends. But yes, I don't think many people would really understand the difference.

As for the highlighted quote, I actually don't know any poly people at all. I'm sure they are around here somewhere, I just think they are hiding. *checks under sofa*. I, myself, am new to the term too, so people don't even know I am poly.

My sister is bisexual and I feel I know and understand more about that than my own way of thinking. But I'm hoping to at least find people who do understand what it is and can accept it as who I am. An easier step than finding other polyamorists in this area.
 
Just to make clear, I'm not actually looking for anything sexual as such. Just closer than just friends. But yes, I don't think many people would really understand the difference.

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The difference is baffling to most I think. I just see it as close friends but Redpepper sees it as something different. Regardless, you should work on putting words to what you are feeling for your own self discovery at least.

As far as meeting poly people..get online my friend (as you are). Good luck :D
 
Getting intimate with either or both of these girls, since they have already said they would not want you to have feelings for another if you were with them, would damage your friendship with one of both of them. If you can keep them both as close friends by not being intimate, them stick with that. Just inform any future potential partners, that these girls will be in you life.

I'm new to this whole poly thing too and I find it pretty amazing. Continue to educate these friends on what poly is so they can understand you better. Who knows, they may change their mind somewhere down the road or maybe not.
 
Getting intimate with either or both of these girls, since they have already said they would not want you to have feelings for another if you were with them, would damage your friendship with one of both of them. If you can keep them both as close friends by not being intimate, them stick with that. Just inform any future potential partners, that these girls will be in you life.

I'm new to this whole poly thing too and I find it pretty amazing. Continue to educate these friends on what poly is so they can understand you better. Who knows, they may change their mind somewhere down the road or maybe not.

Thanks. It's pretty much exactly what I was thinking, but wasn't too confident with it. I'm just a little worried that telling any potential relationship that I have these girls in my life would possibly scare them off if they didn't understand it. I'm not sure on the words I could use to explain to people that would make them understand.
 
define it to yourself...

For years i used the label "adopted brother/sister" for those I had chosen to be that close with - without sexual contact, it was useful to describe the relationship to others around me though i would get occasionally raised eyebrows when conversation content (between myself and said adopted brothers/sisters) would become known... rather lewd and suggestive in some cases :D in which case the next conversation would be "okay so not brother or sister - but not lover either... family you know... which would just get confused looks and we'd go back to the "adopted" terminology :p

anyway the point being if you can define to yourself in a way you understand and is acceptable to you, you will have a much easier time of describing it to any potential lovers.
 
For years i used the label "adopted brother/sister" for those I had chosen to be that close with - without sexual contact, it was useful to describe the relationship to others around me though i would get occasionally raised eyebrows when conversation content (between myself and said adopted brothers/sisters) would become known... rather lewd and suggestive in some cases :D in which case the next conversation would be "okay so not brother or sister - but not lover either... family you know... which would just get confused looks and we'd go back to the "adopted" terminology :p

anyway the point being if you can define to yourself in a way you understand and is acceptable to you, you will have a much easier time of describing it to any potential lovers.

I think I see them as friends that are closer than friends. Even closer than a best friend. I really love them hugely and just wouldn't know how to ease it in slowly for someone who was strongly monogamous. I suppose you adapt to other peoples' views? But just saying they are friends. Although not lying, it would not feel right to make Mono feel like they were just like any other friend to me.
 
I think I see them as friends that are closer than friends. Even closer than a best friend. I really love them hugely and just wouldn't know how to ease it in slowly for someone who was strongly monogamous. I suppose you adapt to other peoples' views? But just saying they are friends. Although not lying, it would not feel right to make Mono feel like they were just like any other friend to me.

Don't ease into it slowly. Introduce and treat them as who and what they are to you. "Here are my best friends, whom I love dearly..." or such. Make the introductions early on and alway be upfront about it with any potential partner. You should find out fairly quickly who is ok with it and who isn't.
 
Don't ease into it slowly. Introduce and treat them as who and what they are to you. "Here are my best friends, whom I love dearly..." or such. Make the introductions early on and alway be upfront about it with any potential partner. You should find out fairly quickly who is ok with it and who isn't.

Sort of like... If they aren't ok with it, move on and find people who are? I suppose the earlier on you tell people about it, the easier it would be to still have a friendship out of it if the intimacy can't be there.
 
Sort of like... If they aren't ok with it, move on and find people who are? I suppose the earlier on you tell people about it, the easier it would be to still have a friendship out of it if the intimacy can't be there.

I have friends I am intimate with. One ex lover and one who is along time friend. Intimacy is a funny thing, its very personal. If you feel the need to be intimate, try it. You might find they don't want to touch friends, you might find they do.

The only way to find out is to try. Friends though might take years to get that comfortable without them feeling sexual pressure. As much as some of us can clearly discern the minute differences, some people seeing intimacy and sex as hand in hand.

If you are looking for a friend to be intimate with but not have as a lover, and still stay a friend. Thats a mighty fine line you are looking for.

I do find, being calculated about it, likely won't work. :) Just let it happen naturally. But thats my take
 
I have friends I am intimate with. One ex lover and one who is along time friend. Intimacy is a funny thing, its very personal. If you feel the need to be intimate, try it. You might find they don't want to touch friends, you might find they do.

The only way to find out is to try. Friends though might take years to get that comfortable without them feeling sexual pressure. As much as some of us can clearly discern the minute differences, some people seeing intimacy and sex as hand in hand.

If you are looking for a friend to be intimate with but not have as a lover, and still stay a friend. Thats a mighty fine line you are looking for.

I do find, being calculated about it, likely won't work. :) Just let it happen naturally. But thats my take

These 2 girls, I am already very close and intimate with. But it's not like any relationship I've had before. It's like friendship, but more. I have many friends I talk with and hang out with, but these 2, I just feel very close with. I love them and love that they are in my life. They are people I would love to have in my life forever. If sex ever did get put on the table, that isn't to say I wouldn't take up that chance, but it isn't what I'm looking for directly. But if I were to be in a sexual relationship with another person or people, I would certainly want them to understand that these 2 girls are certainly a huge part of my life.
 
These 2 girls, I am already very close and intimate with. But it's not like any relationship I've had before. It's like friendship, but more. I have many friends I talk with and hang out with, but these 2, I just feel very close with. I love them and love that they are in my life. They are people I would love to have in my life forever. If sex ever did get put on the table, that isn't to say I wouldn't take up that chance, but it isn't what I'm looking for directly. But if I were to be in a sexual relationship with another person or people, I would certainly want them to understand that these 2 girls are certainly a huge part of my life.

Friendship encompasses a range of people. Why does their absolute closeness to you preclude them from still being friends? :)
 
Friendship encompasses a range of people. Why does their absolute closeness to you preclude them from still being friends? :)

It's just not the same to me. I know everyone has their different views on this sort of thing. This is just my way of viewing it. Some people might not feel right with them being such close people to me. I feel if I explain it to potential partners, there's nothing more I can do if they still can't understand.
 
I think he is worried about any future lovers not accepting these 2 women in his life.

+1 Said much simpler than I could. =P
 
I think he is worried about any future lovers not accepting these 2 women in his life.

ohhhh thats where I was confused. I was wondering what the problem was

YEs, if someone can't accept these two women, then they will have to move on. They are an important part of your life.
 
ohhhh thats where I was confused. I was wondering what the problem was

YEs, if someone can't accept these two women, then they will have to move on. They are an important part of your life.

Thanks. Sorry for confusing you, but that's the kind of answer I was looking for. =] I think I've got all the answers I need and so I thank you all for giving me your advice. =]
 
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