Cuckold is a word that seems to have many definitions and illicit a lot of emotion. I think that at its root it simply means a man whose wife has sex with other men. Why the wife has sex with other men, how the husband feels about it, the nature of the marital sex life, the nature of her relationship with other men, the husband's sexual adequacy, the assumptions made by others, etc. have nothing to do with it.
Some believe the term only applies if he is being betrayed by his wife. If he is aware and accepting of the situation he is a wittol. I think of that as being a narrower as opposed to unique definition...but substitute that word if you prefer.
A hot wife is a wife who has sex with other men.
It is not clear to me that either term - cuckold or hot wife - addresses the husband's sexual activity. But as a practical matter it seems to be used independent of the open marriage concept. So for this purpose there is the added implication that while she has sex with other men, he does not have sex with other women or is more constrained. Call that my made up version if you like. This guide is intended to augment my earlier work by adding some perspective for the cuckold in a hotwife/cuckold marriage.
Concept 1 - Take care of yourself
Neither monogamy nor equal non-monogamy are pre-conditions to a good relationship. But love and caring are necessary ingredients. You deserve to be in a relationship that works for you. Being a cuckold is not about accepting disrespect or abusive relationship circumstances. You have to decide what that means for you and whether the choice you make is consistent with your values and what you want in a relationship.
There is nothing wrong with wanting your wife to be sexually exclusive. The problems begin when you need to believe your wife could never want another (could be true but probably not) or turn a desire for exclusivity into a need for self delusion. The result is dysfunctional behaviour and a suppression of your sexual desire for one another.
Likewise there is nothing wrong with a man choosing to accept the extra-marital sexual activities of a genuinely loving and attentive wife. But the man who comes from a place of weakness and accepts an abusive wife fucking other guys against his will is not investing in a positive relationship.
Abusive dynamics can exist in any kind of relationship and you deserve better. I am not arguing to embrace non-monogamy. I am arguing to not be force fed monogamy and make the distinctions yourself based upon an open-minded view of sexuality.
Concept 2 - Take Care of your Partner
Whether your wife chooses to be non-monogamous needs to be a reflection of her needs and desires. There is a fine line between helping her get in touch with her true self and pushing her to be something you want her to be. Most women have the potential to be attracted to other men but many do not want to act on that desire for their own unique reasons. Don't ask her to compromise herself for your fetish desires.
Concept 3 - Unconditional Acceptance
Any person in a non-monogamous relationship will likely need to deal with feelings of jealousy, insecurity, inadequacy and possible even humiliation. I strongly suggest facing these feelings head on. If you simply cannot accept the reality of your wife fucking other guys, then any non-monogamous relationship is not for you.
Do not try to avoid that reality with a set of conditions. It won't work.
Two things we hear of often are reciprocal rights or putting certain constraints on the non-monogamous partner's activities and relations with others. The right to fuck other women isn't going to make it easier to deal with the fact that your wife is fucking other guys and it may even make you more jealous once you realize that outcomes are not equal. Likewise it is not realistic to try to pre-ordain how she will feel towards other men or what experiences she will want to have with them. Trying to do so will lead to her feeling guilty and pressured to mislead you about her true desires. That will lead to resentment towards some or all of the constraints and perhaps towards you.
By all means pursue a reciprocal arrangement if that is what works for your marriage. The husband is entitled to the same "opportunities" or "rights" as the wife. Likewise, it makes sense to discuss and agree on the parameters and conditions with which you are both comfortable. Just don't count on those things to be the antidote for jealousy or insecurity or expect to predetermine how either of you will feel towards your other partners.
Concept 4 - Putting Your Partner First
When we talk about marriage we often make reference to putting our partner first or being willing to do anything for our partner. But sometimes that simplistic concept taken to its logical conclusion results in a deadlock like that old cartoon with the two chipmunks each saying "after you", "no after you". Ultimately harmony is achieved by one partner being willing to be the beneficiary of the other's compromise. And frequently being the one to make the compromise is what one or both partners want.
Society tries to help us bridge this cognitive dissonance by telling us what outcomes we should want and expect. If your wife wants to be taken out to dinner and you want to stay home and watch the ballgame, society tells you that she is right and you are wrong. Likewise society tells us that if one partner wishes to be monogamous and the other does not, monogamy is the right choice.
But both of those scenarios are based upon stereotypes and assumptions that may not be applicable at all. Maybe the husband who wants to stay home has already taken his wife out three times that week and had planned to watch his alma mater's football game with a dear old college friend. Maybe the wife truly prefers to facilitate that reunion even though there is nothing in it for her except her husband's pleasure. Maybe the partner who prefers monogamy (for themselves) has very limited sexual interest or capacity and wants to see the needs of a sexually dynamic partner fulfilled.
Whether accepting your wife's sexual activity with other men is the appropriate thing for your relationship is entirely up to you. There isn't one right answer. Just remember that the stereotype of the disdainful and selfish woman is not more valid than that of a loving wife who simply wants more than her husband can (or wants to) provide.
Concept 5 - She wants more than what you can provide sexually
For many people, monogamous and otherwise, their spouse does not satisfy all of their sexual desires. This is natural and commonplace.
It may be a matter of wanting variety or a different experience or one of performance or adequacy. But sex isn't a sport and what is "not enough" for one partner may be just right for another. Whether any of us acts on these desires is a function of many factors. Chances are it has more to do with perspective and opportunities and spousal openness than issues of adequacy.
If you talk to women who have outside lovers, most appreciate something specific in that lover that their husband doesn't offer. But they are augmenting their sex life, not seeking to trade up. In fact, many are clear that they wouldn't want to be with that man all the time. Maybe he is the big dick stud. Or maybe he is the music aficionado who shares her love of opera. Or maybe he has a dominant streak that she likes to indulge but only occasionally. He frequently isn't "more" or "better" just different and new.
There is nothing wrong with insisting on or preferring monogamy for a variety of reasons. But wives who choose to remain monogamous are doing so for reasons particular to them and their perspective on relationships as opposed to whether or not their husband satisfies all of their desires. Most of us think about experiencing different men and the sexual performance of our own husband is well down the list of reasons why we do or don't act on that desire.
Concept 6 - Reasonable Expectations
Your wife will enjoy sex with other men. They will offer her things that you cannot and there will be times when she prefers them. She will also likely want to have an emotional connection with them. It may not be love or it may be, but it probably isn't indifference.
But neither love or sex are finite resources. What she gives to them does not take away from you and in fact may add to the totality she has for you.
Concept 7 - She is Sexually Superior to You
Accept this reality. She can have more sex for longer. She can attract and manage sexual partners better. She doesn't get ruined or diminished by her sexual experiences. She is less likely to get emotionally tied to a sex partner if she goes into that relationship with an open mindset. You couldn't keep up if you tried.
Don't be confused by the fact that more men express desire for extra-marital sex. Desire and capacity are not the same thing.