The Swing Community

The Swing Community: A Profile
From Sexuality.org

Introduction

This article covers the emergence and growth of organized recreational sex amongst mixed-gender couples as a social activity.

The most frequently-used term for this community is the “swing,” “swinging,” or “swinger’s” community. In the 1980′s, Dr. Robert McGinley1 began promoting the use of “lifestyles” in place of “swing,” and “playcouples”2 in place of “swingers”; in addition to escaping media stereotypes that had built up around “swingers,” he wanted a term that was inclusive of couples who participated but didn’t choose to interact sexually with other couples.3 This new terminology (while certainly well-intentioned) hasn’t fully caught on yet4, and in the interest of avoiding confusion I’ll tend to use the older term, with no offense intended, particularly when discussing swinging’s origins or when discussing books or articles that themselves use the older term.

History and Politics

Community Origins

As far as anyone knows5, swinging (as this community exists today, in the United States) had its roots amongst an elite group of U.S. Air Force fighter pilots during World War II. These men were wealthy enough to move their wives close to base, and the fact that their fatality rate was the highest of any branch of service led to an unusual social milieu in which non-monogamy between these pilots’ wives and other pilots became acceptable.6 These arrangements persisted near Air Force bases throughout World War II and into the Korean War.

By the time the Korean War ended, these groups7 had spread from the bases to the nearby suburbs. The media picked up on them in 1957 and promptly dubbed the phenomenon “wife-swapping.”8 Although the media didn’t treat this new phenomenon respectfully, the public’s response made it clear that they wanted to hear more. By 1960, there were over 20 widely-available magazines which carried “swinger” ads.9 These magazines provided a medium through which the first swinger parties could advertise themselves, and the first permanent clubs began appearing in the late 1960′s.10

Organized swinging outside California was originally all “off-premise.”11 This was also true for New York until the legendary on-premise club “Plato’s Retreat” was founded12; in the South, Midwest, and Northwest, dances13 remained the most popular form of off-premise swinging. All of these clubs were completely independent entities and there were no national gatherings.

Dr. Robert McGinley founded the Lifestyles Organization in 1975, through which he began hosting the first national Lifestyles Conventions14 along with his first efforts to improve the public image of swinging.15 He subsequently founded the North American Swing Club Association (NASCA) in 1979, with the intent that NASCA serve as a trade and standards organization for swing club owners.
The swinger’s community continued to grow throughout the 1980′s and 1990′s16, and is currently enjoying an upsurge of interest and growth.17 Although single women are almost always welcome at today’s swinging events, the degree to which single men are accepted varies from club to club. Although female bisexuality is common in the swing community, male bisexual activity is still almost non-existent at swing events.
Political Struggles and Strategy
The swing community won their first major political battle in 1996-199718 against the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC).19 As Gould [9] describes it, the rhetoric they used in this struggle was a textbook example of how sex-positive communities of any kind can find common ground with the public:
1.    They argued that the ABC was attempting to regulate the private sexual behavior of citizens, which made the ABC’s actions everyone’s concern rather than just one organization’s concern.
2.    They got the ACLU and other free-speech / first-amendment advocates involved, as a result of the ABC’s interest in shutting down a display of erotic art at their convention. McGinley considered this issue to be his “high ground,” and recognized that many consider censorship of art or speech to be warning signs that government is on the wrong path.20
3.    They aligned themselves, at least rhetorically, with the political struggles of other sexual minorities (particularly the gay community). This framed the debate in terms more favorable to them.
Swing clubs in some cities and states have faced unfair treatment from local authorities (typically via selectively enforcing zoning regulations, or passing new ordinances). Recently, this has occurred in Florida and Arizona.
The Arizona case is particularly interesting, because it essentially resulted from a failure to align with other sexual minority groups. When asked why Phoenix was shutting down its five swing clubs but leaving its gay male sex club (“The Chute”) in peace, a City Attorney gave the following remarkable answer [11]:
The gay constituency is very vocal, and they resist what they perceive to be the government’s attempt to focus specifically on places frequented by homosexuals… They consider themselves a minority group, which creates an extra layer of analysis we have to go through so we’re not perceived as picking on gay people.
At least on its surface, this is a compelling argument for cooperation and solidarity amongst the various elements of sex-positive culture.
Media Coverage
The national media has been fairly erratic on the subject of swinging, and frequently falls back on their tried-and-true approach to sex-positive culture in general (i.e. “titillate the public with it so you can increase sales, then judge it harshly so you can maintain editorial credibility.”)
However, Gould’s recently-published book [9], the increased level of respect gained through the recent legal victories in California, and the general public’s negative reaction to media coverage of the Monica Lewinksy scandal, may ultimately result in more respectful and objective media coverage of swinging.
Popularity
Estimates of the prevalence of swinging amongst U.S. couples range from 2%  to 15%. This is roughly consistent with McGinley’s total estimate of 3,000,000.
One 1974 study found a prevalence of 1.7% amongst their (regionally limited) sample, but found that 6.7% of their sample “would participate if the opportunity presented itself” [4], and a later study [20] found that 19% of males and 14% of females in their sample sometimes fantasized about group sex during intercourse.30
Prevailing Attitudes
What Swingers Believe
A 1985 study of over 400 swingers found its subjects “significantly more liberal than a control group of nonswingers on items dealing with areas such as divorce, premarital sex, pornography, homosexuality [emphasis mine], and abortion” [13]. This result is consistent with a much later and larger study [3], which found the swingers in its (internet-based) sample to be “less racist, less sexist, and less heterosexist than the general population.”31
A poll taken at the Lifestyles 1996 Convention found that 92% of the respondents (presumably, almost all of whom were active in the lifestyle) believed that swingers “should” be using condoms [9]. This is consistent with a study completed four years earlier (see [13]) which found that 62% of the swingers in its sample had changed their behavior as a result of AIDS.

Why Do People Like Swinging?
Here are some of the reasons that swingers have mentioned in surveys (paraphrased, in some cases) [13]:

• Variety of sexual partners and experiences
• Pleasure and excitement
• Increased social life
• Watching others so as to learn new techniques for your spouse
• Overcoming sexual inhibitions
• “Recapturing one’s youth”
• Feeling reassured that you’re still attractive and desirable
• Increasing mutual attraction and love within the marriage32

Here are some other reasons (paraphrased) that I have heard swingers mention:

• It’s an opportunity to re-create that “first date” feeling of anticipation and excitement, in a safe way that won’t harm your marriage, and to exercise social skills (e.g. flirting) that you may not have used in along time.
• It’s human nature to appreciate someone even more if you notice other people desiring them, which may explain why swinging makes me feel even more attracted to my partner.
• Although this may vary slightly from club to club, I’ve found the swinging community to be quite accepting of a wide variety of body types, sizes, ages, and shapes.
• It’s an opportunity to dress sexy or [in the case of on-premise parties] to go completely nude.
• It’s an opportunity for people with healthy sex drives to have that aspect of themselves appreciated rather than snickered about.
• It’s an opportunity to socialize and form friendships amongst people who are comfortable talking about sex openly.

Etiquette and Tips
“The Big Secret”
Swinging is primarily a social activity, and the ordinary social customs of being courteous, initiating conversation, getting to know people, and letting trusted acquaintances become friends are no different from any other walk of life. Put another way, it’s your ability to form friendships with couples, as a couple, that will ultimately determine the quality of your experience in the swing community.
What Do People Usually Wear?

• At off-premise events such as dances, it’s common for people to dress up or wear fairly sexy clothing.
• Dress at on-premise events tends to be more casual, since nudity is a common outcome of the evening for many. It’s a good idea to bring a robe or kimono so you don’t have to put all your clothes back on after getting undressed. It’s also good to avoid small or expensive jewelry that might get lost.
• If it’s a theme party, then try to follow the theme.

Bisexuality in the Swing Community
Male Bisexuality
I would like to begin by saying this: in the time I have spent in the swing community, I have never heard so much as one comment that I would characterize as homophobic. David Schisgall, when asked about homophobia at the Seattle premiere of The Lifestyle: Swinging in America, reported exactly the same thing [19]. Furthermore, as was noted earlier, several independent studies have found swingers to be less homophobic than the general population.
However, when asked about the reason for the utter lack of male bisexual activity at swing parties,36 Schisgall’s best explanation was that, rather than being the result of overt homophobia, it was simply “not part of the culture.”37 My personal assessment is similar.
Nevertheless, as was suggested by the City Attorney’s comments following Phoenix’s decision to close all of its swing clubs, as well as by the positive response Dr. McGinley received when arguing that the LSO’s struggle against the California ABC was similar to the struggle for gay liberation, there may be tremendous value in the swing community being able to more systematically align themselves with other sexual minorities. If NASCA took a sexual orientation anti-discrimination stance similar to their stance against racism, they might create a prime opportunity to begin forging productive new alliances.
Female Bisexuality
In 1984, Dr. Joan Dixon [6] published some fascinating research on female bisexuality within the swing community. Summarizing:
1.    She noted that the prevalence of sexual activity between females in the swing community is extraordinarily high.38
2.    She assembled (apparently without difficulty) a sample of 50 women for her study, all of whom had their first experience with female-female sex in the swing community after age 30, and none of whom even fantasized about women before these first experiences.
3.    Her study found that “the generally positive reactions of these subjects to their first sexual experience with other females after a lifetime of strict heterosexuality … progressed through repeated experience to an overwhelming general rating of excellent,” that the “percentage of those whose masturbatory fantasies at times included other females as erotic sex objects rose from 4.5% to 61%,” and that every one of the women in her study now self-identified as bisexual.
This suggests the swing community might be a stunning example of the impact “social facilitation” can have on adult sexual behavior, preference, and identity.
Clubs, Conferences, and Resources
An up-to-date directory of swing clubs can be found on the NASCA web site at www.nasca.com. If there isn’t a NASCA-affiliated club in your area, then you’ll probably want to search for independent clubs.39 More information on the annual Lifestyles Conventions is available at www.lifestyles.org
Information on a brand new organization, the “Trade Association for Lifestyle Organizations,” is available at www.theila.org. In contrast to NASCA, which at this point in time largely focuses on producing their annual swing club directories, TAFLO intends to engage in media outreach, coordinate pro-lifestyle political activism, and offer support and services to swing club owners.
If you’re interested in swinging and want to learn more, then you should read Gould’s The Lifestyle: A Look at the Erotic Rites of Swingers [9] as well as Easton and Liszt’s The Ethical Slut [7], and finish by watching the documentary The Lifestyle: Swinging in America [14].
The ACLU came to the aid of the Lifestyles Organization during their 1996-1997 struggle, and can be considered an ally on many swing community issues; more information on joining the ACLU is available at www.aclu.org

Bibliography
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Bean, Joseph (2001). Lecture in Seattle on March 25.
Bergstrand, Curtis, and Jennifer B. Williams (2000). “Today’s alternate marriage styles: The case of swingers.” The Electronic Journal of Human Sexuality, http://www.ejhs.org/volume3/swing/body.htm
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Defense Security Service (2000). “Information about specific sexual practices.” Adjudicative Desk Reference, http://www.dss.mil/nf/adr/sexbeh/sexT2.htm
Dixon, Joan K. (1984). “The commencement of bisexual activity in swinging married women over age thirty.” The Journal of Sex Research, 20 (1): 71-90.
Easton, Dossie, and Catherine A. Liszt (1998). The Ethical Slut: A Guide to Infinite Sexual Possibilities. Emeryville, CA: Greenery Press.
Gilmartin, Brian G. (1978). The Gilmartin Report. Secaucus, NJ: Citadel.
Gould, Terry (2000). The Lifestyle: A Look at the Erotic Rites of Swingers. Westport, CT: Firefly Books.
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Klein, Marty (2000). “Pheonix orgies-gay only, please.” Sexual Intelligence, Issue 2. http://www.sexed.org/newsletters/issue02.html
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Jenks, Richard J. (1998). “Swinging: A review of the literature.” Archives of Sexual Behavior, 27 (5): 507-521.
The Lifestyle: Swinging in America (1999). Directed by David Schisgall. Fox Lorber Films. DVD.
Michael, Robert T., John H. Gagnon, Edward O. Laumann, and Gina Kolata (1995). Sex in America: A Definitive Survey. New York: Warner Books [also known as the National Health and Social Life Survey-please see http://www.norc.org for more information].
NASCA International (2000). International Directory: Swing Clubs, Publications & Events. Buena Park, CA: LSO, Ltd.

Queen, Carol (1995). Exhibitionism for the Shy. San Francisco, CA: Down There Press.
Reinisch, June M. (1990). The Kinsey Institute New Report on Sex: What You Must Know to be Sexually Literate. New York: St. Martin’s Press.
Schisgall, David (1999). Discussion with the audience following the Seattle premiere of his documentary The Lifestyle: Swinging in America at the 1999 Seattle International Film Festival on May 24.
Sue, David (1979). “Erotic fantasies of college students during coitus.” The Journal of Sex Research, 15 (4): 299-305.
Weitzman, Geri D. (1999). “What psychology professionals should know about polyamory: The lifestyles and mental health concerns of polyamorous individuals.” http://www.polyamory.org/~joe/polypaper.htm

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