--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In monogamy, a romantic partner and a…" description: "\"“In monogamy, a romantic partner and a sexual partner are, almost by definition, the same person. Emotional intimacy and physical intimacy are so tight..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c02/eve-rickert-60317_betrayal_in-monogamy-a-romantic-partner-and-a-sex_565639.jpg" --- # In monogamy, a romantic partner and a sexual partner are… ![“In monogamy, a romantic partner and a sexual partner are, almost by definition, the same person. Emotional intimacy and physical intimacy are so tightly entwined that some self-help books speak of "emotional infidelity" and encourage married couples not to permit each other to become too close to…” quote by Eve Rickert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c02/eve-rickert-60317_betrayal_in-monogamy-a-romantic-partner-and-a-sex_565639.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c02/eve-rickert-60317_betrayal_in-monogamy-a-romantic-partner-and-a-sex_565639.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c02/eve-rickert-60317_betrayal_in-monogamy-a-romantic-partner-and-a-sex_565639.jpg) > ““In monogamy, a romantic partner and a sexual partner are, almost by definition, the same person. Emotional intimacy and physical intimacy are so tightly entwined that some self-help books speak of "emotional infidelity" and encourage married couples not to permit each other to become too close to their friends. Advice columnists and television personalities will speak gravely of the dangers that "emotional affairs" pose to a monogamous marriage and ask, "Is emotional infidelity worse than sexual infidelity?" Monogamy can leave surprisingly little room for close friendships, much less nonsexual romances.”” [Eve Rickert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-rickert/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Monogamy often conflates romantic, emotional, and sexual intimacy, making emotional affairs feel like a betrayal comparable to sexual ones. **In simple terms:** Emotional and sexual intimacy are tightly linked in monogamy, causing emotional affairs to seem threatening. Key Takeaway Recognize and nurture friendships separate from romantic expectations. Themes relationships trust boundaries friendship Mood reflective concerned Type advice analytical When to use this quote - marriage counseling - friendship building - relationship workshops Key Concepts emotional intimacy monogamy social expectations Questions to Reflect On - How do you differentiate emotional closeness from betrayal? - Can friendships thrive without romantic expectations? A Different Perspective Emotional intimacy can be subjective and culturally variable, making universal judgments difficult. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Betrayal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/betrayal/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Close Friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/close-friend/) [Close friends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/close-friends/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) [Married couples](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/married-couples/) [Monogamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monogamy/) [Romance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/romance/) ## Related quotes > [I think that women are more sensitive to emotional infidelity than men. I think men are more scared of physical infidelity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-wilde/i-think-that-women-are-more-sensitive-to-emotional-infidelity-than/) [Olivia Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-wilde/) > [Emotional affairs, those are the only real affairs; those are the real ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/emotional-affairs-those-are-the-only-real-affairs-those-are-the-real/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) > [Don’t flirt, have sex, or engage in emotional affairs with your friends’ significant others. This shouldn’t need to be said, but it needs to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roxane-gay/don-t-flirt-have-sex-or-engage-in-emotional-affairs-with-your-friends/) [Roxane Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roxane-gay/) > [“Now I knew that an emotional affair was even more dangerous. It created a need to share every thought and feeling with another person.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-chamberlain/now-i-knew-that-an-emotional-affair-was-even-more-dangerous-it/) [Diane Chamberlain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-chamberlain/) > [“Out here the sunsets were like Italian operas, torrid, emotional affairs that went on for three hours or more, hanging in the sky like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-murray/out-here-the-sunsets-were-like-italian-operas-torrid-emotional/) [Paul Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-murray/) > [Comedy is an intellectual affair, and deals chiefly with logic. Tragedy is an emotional affair, and deals chiefly with value. Horace Walpole once said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-kern-feibleman/comedy-is-an-intellectual-affair-and-deals-chiefly-with-logic-tragedy/) James Kern Feibleman > [A lot of Gorillaz songs were very personal. I mean, that's why it was interesting, because it wasn't music being made for a cartoon.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-albarn/a-lot-of-gorillaz-songs-were-very-personal-i-mean-that-s-why-it-was/) [Damon Albarn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-albarn/) > [“Too much intimacy, too quickly, can cause women to become needy and men to pull away. Just as men have a tendency to rush…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gray/too-much-intimacy-too-quickly-can-cause-women-to-become-needy-and-men/) [John Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gray/) > [Physical intimacy isn’t and can never be an effective substitute for emotional intimacy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/physical-intimacy-isn-t-and-can-never-be-an-effective-substitute-for/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“Beware of relationships that substitute intensity for emotional intimacy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adelyn-birch/beware-of-relationships-that-substitute-intensity-for-emotional/) [Adelyn Birch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adelyn-birch/) > [What is emotional intimacy? It is that depp sense of being connected to one another. It is feeling loved, respected and appreciated, while at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-chapman/what-is-emotional-intimacy-it-is-that-depp-sense-of-being-connected/) [Gary Chapman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-chapman/) > [“vows and promises aren’t the fuel relationships run on. Relationship are sustained by the pleasure of emotional intimacy, the feeling that someone is interested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsay-c-gibson/vows-and-promises-aren-t-the-fuel-relationships-run-on-relationship/) [Lindsay C. Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsay-c-gibson/) > [Intimacy is not entirely physical. In fact, it can have no physical interaction at all. For an intimate relationship to take place, allow someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/u/intimacy-is-not-entirely-physical-in-fact-it-can-have-no-physical/) U > [“When there is inconsistency in belief and action (such as being violated by someone who is supposed to love you) our mind has to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosenna-bakari/when-there-is-inconsistency-in-belief-and-action-such-as-being/) Rosenna Bakari > [“Many patients are so terrified of emotional intimacy that they are driven over and over again to provoke crises that allow them to distance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-mcwilliams/many-patients-are-so-terrified-of-emotional-intimacy-that-they-are/) Nancy McWilliams ## More by Eve Rickert > [“safety and security come from knowing that your partner loves, trusts and values you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-rickert/safety-and-security-come-from-knowing-that-your-partner-loves-trusts/) [Eve Rickert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-rickert/) > [“love itself is malleable and ever-changing. Its intensity and nature varies, and this influences its flow, its mutable forms. Monogamy tells us that successful,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-rickert/love-itself-is-malleable-and-ever-changing-its-intensity-and-nature/) [Eve Rickert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-rickert/) > [“We tend to think of secondary relationships as "new" relationships, without giving thought to the fact that they might endure for years. It's common…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-rickert/we-tend-to-think-of-secondary-relationships-as-new-relationships/) [Eve Rickert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-rickert/) > [“Many conflict-resolution professionals stress the value of curiosity, accompanied by active listening. Many conflicts can be avoided or de-escalated if the parties involved are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-rickert/many-conflict-resolution-professionals-stress-the-value-of-curiosity/) [Eve Rickert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-rickert/) [Explore all 5 Eve Rickert quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-rickert/) ## More Betrayal quotes > [“That's the catch about betrayal, of course: that it feels good, that there's something immensely pleasurable about moving from a complicated relationship which involves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/that-s-the-catch-about-betrayal-of-course-that-it-feels-good-that/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [God’s faithfulness is stronger than our unfaithfulness and our infidelities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/god-s-faithfulness-is-stronger-than-our-unfaithfulness-and-our/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [“Flattery looks like friendship, just like a wolf looks like a dog.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-auliq-ice/flattery-looks-like-friendship-just-like-a-wolf-looks-like-a-dog/) [Oscar Auliq-Ice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-auliq-ice/) > [There is no deceit in death. 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They shared an intimate moment,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-h-septimius/he-returned-her-gaze-yearning-for-sentimental-solace-love-which/) [A. H. Septimius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-h-septimius/) > [I was always here for you,you knew you could count on me and trust me blindly, and you knew that I would never tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hayssus/i-was-always-here-for-you-you-knew-you-could-count-on-me-and-trust-me/) [Michael Hayssus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hayssus/) > [Joy doesn't betray but sustains activism. And when you face a politics that aspires to make you fearful, alienated and isolated, joy is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-solnit/joy-doesn-t-betray-but-sustains-activism-and-when-you-face-a-politics/) [Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-solnit/) > [“Betrayal and love are not mutually exclusive." (Mordred)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-mercer/betrayal-and-love-are-not-mutually-exclusive-mordred/) [Aldous Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-mercer/) > [Love comes exactly... To those who still hope, even though they've been disappointed. To those who still believe, even though they've been betrayed and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mizhan/love-comes-exactly-to-those-who-still-hope-even-though-they-ve-been/) [Mizhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mizhan/) > [For some people, a one-night stand doesn't make any difference in a seven-year love affair. I don't believe the degree of betrayal is always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-perel/for-some-people-a-one-night-stand-doesn-t-make-any-difference-in-a/) [Esther Perel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-perel/) > [Betrayal is a serious thing in this world,you know what else is serious? Being lied to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabrina/betrayal-is-a-serious-thing-in-this-world-you-know-what-else-is/) [Sabrina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabrina/) > [The greatest temptation for the like of us is: to renounce violence, to repent, to make peace with oneself. Most revolutionaries fell before this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-greatest-temptation-for-the-like-of-us-is-to-renounce-violence-to/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [“Sarai, you never know who might betray you until it’s too late.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-a-redmerski/sarai-you-never-know-who-might-betray-you-until-it-s-too-late/) [J.A. Redmerski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-a-redmerski/) [Browse all 2,050 Betrayal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/betrayal/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“In monogamy, a romantic partner and a sexual partner are, almost by definition, the same person. Emotional intimacy and physical intimacy are so tightly entwined that some self-help books speak of \"emotional infidelity\" and encourage married couples not to permit each other to become too close to their friends. 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