New Normal? The future of swinging in COVID-19 era

#safeswinging #alternativelifestylealliance #askdv8 #lifestyleeducation #swinging #sexrelationships #dv8lifestyle #covid19

Life and swinging has already changed fundamentally for all of us. We are in uncertain times and struggling with how to move forward with the "new normal". 
COVID-19 has altered swingers' perception of the lifestyle as our actions now have new consequences. COVID-19 is the top discussion in the lifestyle community and presents new challenges for us all in 2020. 

Being veterans in the lifestyle, we've addressed so many concerns over the years.

We've often tackled the common issues that come with the lifestyle ie: jealousy, discretion, full or soft swapping, age gaps ect. We're now looking at swinging from a whole new point of view. 

How are swingers dealing with the lifestyle right now?

We took a poll of over 100 swingers asking how they are keeping busy while shut in. 

70% of those polled have been regularly engaging in sex chats and virtual parties. While a quarter are masturbating more and role playing; this says a lot about the swingers mindset while social distancing. Being shut in has not slowed our drive for some kind of sexual titillation. May being masturbation month, it's not such a bad idea.

Mutual masturbation among couples does not rate high on the charts (though we think it should). Finding more ways to express your sexuality without being able to swing, presents new challenges. We often encourage role playing with your partner and highly recommend mutual masturbation. Why not take the new norm as a way to try new things in the bedroom?

March 2020 Poll: mewe.com 

How do 'they' view things moving forward?

We surveyed over 200 Swingers about their primary concerns moving forward in the lifestyle. 44% felt that swinging the way we know it may not be the same, while nearly a quarter of them have a genuine fear of getting intimate with others. Many express concerns with stricter regulations on social gatherings, swingers clubs, lifestyle parties & businesses. At the very least, some fear it may be awhile before swinging becomes socially acceptable again. 
March 2020 Poll: reddit.com, mewe.com  

So what's next?
It may be a rough road ahead for swingers and proprietors of lifestyle clubs, resorts and cruises. Social distancing isn't an option for the most part in the swing lifestyle. Physical contact comes with the territory. Getting close and intimate with others is part of the allure of being in the lifestyle. It's the sexual excitement that comes with hooking up and playing with someone new or even your go to regular partners.

Implications for lifestyle clubs, cruises and the swing lifestyle industry.
We've all heard the news of stranded cruise ships with sick passengers, so a cruise might not be in your immediate future plans. Swinger Cruises are all the rave and now we have a new element added to the mix. 
So what happens down the road in the industry? We can only guess what regulations may come in the aftermath of this pandemic. There has never been a time in our history that some sort of regulations didn't immediately follow a traumatic event. Lawmakers will be pining for months; maybe years after this is over.
Rest assured, social gatherings as we know it will change forever. 
Restrictions on Lifestyle related and the adult industry as a whole will be impacted. 
Lawmakers are always on the lookout for new ways to slow the 'evil' adult industry.
From the Porn industry to gentlemen's clubs to the Swingers underworld. 

To date, the swing lifestyle isn't exactly in the forefront of mainstream thinking. Swingers clubs are still nondescript buildings. Hotel parties and takeovers are thrown under assumed names or use private codes. BDSM clubs can be found in warehouses on the side streets of Manhattan. In our ten+ years as lifestyle hosts, we 'still' encounter individuals that refuse to believe or have a hard time accepting that the swingers lifestyle even exists to the extent that it does. Some have dismissed swinging as a myth or something that happens in dirty motels or died out in the 70's. 
None would believe we and our colleagues in the industry have contracts with some of the most prestigious hotels and resorts in the world. Most wouldn't think they could use their Hilton Honors points at the next swinger party; but they have. 

So what happens to these hotel chains when insurance companies and OSHA come knocking or state authorities get involved?  Some of our readers fear this could be the new reality. Stricter safety regulations could impact the lifestyle in ways we've not anticipated in the past. Safety guidelines could impact brick & mortar clubs by having licences or permits revoked, certificate of occupancy standards replaced and downsized. In our experience, lawmakers have not had our best interests in mind in the past. Using COVID-19 as a stepping stone to scale back the adult industry in general could be in the not so distant future.

The future of Swinging.
For the many swingers who do not normally frequent the swinger clubs, resorts ect. Are more apt to congregate with their inner circle of friends, or as we like to call our "go to" partners. We may find an influx of small house parties; staying in familiar territory rather than venture out into the normally crowded takeover parties. 
This presents a problem for the newbies in the lifestyle and of course the singles looking to break into the lifestyle. Though we've always encouraged meet & greets as the best option for meeting new couples, we believe that still will survive and even thrive in the new normal.

Connecting or getting 'plugged in' so to speak might be more difficult in an already competitive environment. This can add to the frustrations associated with getting started in the lifestyle. 10% of people we surveyed have a fear of being judged by simply coughing or sneezing, compounding the stigmas of hygiene and STD's we normally face in the lifestyle. The paranoia of getting sick is superseding our fears which could have dire consequences for the newbies. Most veteran swingers have a genuine trust of their current play partners and that they wouldn't expose them to any unnecessary risks. 

Regardless of how we may feel going forward, we all can agree that swinging will definitely be around well after this pandemic is over. It's up to all of us to proceed in a safe, responsible and fun way. Education and communication has always been paramount in the lifestyle. Now more than ever, it's the key to the future of swinging in the COVID-19 era.

The new lifestyle:
We're going to explore how others are dealing with "the new lifestyle normal" in the second part of this segment.