A cult classic among those curious about and adherents of nonmonogamy, The Ethical Slut has returned. Its new addition was just published with some new additions. One of the book's co-author's was recently interviewed by Mary Beckerman of the Daily Beast about it. Here's an exerpt with a link below. What do you think of this book's success and its implications?
By "slut," you don’t mean someone who detaches sex from emotion, or who selfishly takes advantage of others; instead you urge readers to seek love -- genuine emotional connections -- in "abundance," rejecting the notion that our affection is a pizza with only so many slices.
This idea started way back in the communal era in 1969 when I was in Haight-Ashbury. I said, "If I want to change my world in terms of how relationships are, and be non-monogamous forever in my own personal life, it should be about warmth and affection." One of the very first things I learned was how to be affectionate toward many lovers, which is very hard to do coming from New York where things are very cool and detached.
There was no precedent but it worked; I could love them, be there for them, care for them -- if someone was sick I’d bring them chicken soup -- and be loyal in a new way that fit for a lot of people, including other women and single mothers. We were the love generation, and we were very new to sexual freedom. There was a lot of idealism. Very quickly I had a community of people excited about raising our children. We created the proverbial village long before It Takes a Village.
Read the rest of the interview on Alternet.
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