ABSTRACT
“What is your current relationship status?” was originally included as a basic demographic question, yet it turned into an unintended finding. The Kinky Women Research Study listed the following 11 categories to choose from: single (never married/domestic partnership), divorced/separated, widowed, casual BDSM relationship(s)/play partner(s), long-term relationship, married/domestic partner, monogamous, polyamorous/open relationship/polyfidelity, swingers, BDSM family, and 24/7 BDSM relationship, with the instructions to “check all that apply.” The variation in relationship styles became apparent when respondents were given the opportunity to self-describe their unique situations. Nearly 10% of the survey respondents wrote about their relationships beyond those 11 categories. The themes that came from this data include relationships without formal commitments, single-plus, primary-plus, power dynamics, non-monogamy, marriage including platonic marriage, and chosen families.
