When we talk about the basic pillars of a relationship, we talk about trust, communication, respect … Sometimes it seems that we leave aside the issue of loyalty, but it is implicit in those pillars. And where do we place fidelity? We wonder if loyalty or fidelity in a partner is more important .
Loyalty versus fidelity as a couple
It seems as if the main enemy of the couple is infidelity . Cheating, cheating on your partner, sleeping with another person always represents a breakdown of trust , so fundamental in the couple. Forever? Not always, because sexual exclusivity is not important for all couples and as a sample we have those open relationships where the important thing is loyalty and not fidelity.
Understanding fidelity as keeping sexual exclusivity, we surrender to the importance of loyalty understood as respect for the partner , support, trust and the maintenance of a commitment and future plans. Without a doubt, the lack of loyalty supposes a total rupture of the couple. However, the lack of fidelity depends on how each one takes it.
With this we do not want to downplay infidelity. When a couple agrees to sexual exclusivity, the lack of fidelity also implies a lack of loyalty because it is a breach of the agreement , as well as a deception, a betrayal and an inexcusable mistake most of the time . But what happens when there is no sexual exclusivity?
It happens that in that open couple that does not understand sexual exclusivity, infidelity does not fit. Open couples owe loyalty to each other, not fidelity in the sexual sense of the term. Therefore, we should start talking more about that loyalty as a couple that supposes total support for the other person and protect them from all those enemies of relationships.