Ask Emma: The Science of Attraction and Why You Feel Left Behind

Ask Emma: The Science of Attraction and Why You Feel Left Behind

Hey there! Welcome back to another “Ask Emma,” where I take on your most intimate relationship questions. Today’s question is a heavy one, but also incredibly relatable for anyone who’s explored open relationships or felt left behind in their own marriage.

A new supporter reached out with a story about his 20-year marriage that’s hit a sexual dead end. After opening up the relationship, his wife has shifted her focus to others, leaving their once-loving marriage feeling more like a roommate situation. Let’s get into his story, unpack what’s happening, and figure out some ways forward!

Mark's Story:
"I’ve been married for nearly 20 years, and my wife and I opened up our relationship a while ago. At first, the idea of playing separately and together sounded thrilling, especially for her. In fact I was the one that approached her with the idea! She was so excited by the attention from new men—it was a confidence boost, and I supported her. We wanted to play together and even talked about cuckold scenarios but over time, the 'together' part of our play faded, and our sex life dried up.

Now she focuses on other men, and our relationship feels more like roommates than partners. She told me she craves men who are bigger and can last longer—something I struggle with since I can only last about five minutes and I'd say I'm average sized. Meanwhile, I’ve found a girlfriend who fulfills the emotional and physical needs that I’ve been yearning for in my marriage. My wife seems checked out sexually, and while I still love her, I don’t know how to move forward. I want to feel desired again by her but don’t see a way back. Emma, what can I do?"

My Response:

Oh my gosh, my heart goes out to you. First off, thank you for sharing your story with me. This kind of emotional honesty isn’t easy, but it’s the first step in figuring out what’s next for you and your wife. What you're experiencing isn’t uncommon, especially in marriages that span decades, and it’s even more common in couples who open up their relationship. Let’s take a deep dive into what might be happening emotionally and sexually, and I’ll give you some advice that will hopefully help you find a way forward—whether that’s together or apart.…

Ask Emma: How Do I Tell My Husband That I Want a Cuckold Relationship?

Ask Emma: How Do I Tell My Husband That I Want a Cuckold Relationship?

Hello, lovely visitors to my little wet spot on the internet! Today, we’re talking about how to approach your husband when you’re interested in exploring a cuckold relationship. This is a question I’ve received from Sally (not her real name) and several others, and I think her situation is something a lot of women might relate to. So, let’s get right into it, shall we?

Sally wrote in with a story that probably feels familiar to some of you. She and her husband were chatting about their sexual fantasies one evening, and out of nowhere, he brought up the idea of cuckolding. At first, she didn’t quite get it. I mean, why would any guy be into something like that? But curiosity got the best of her, and she started looking into it.

To her surprise, the more she learned about the fetish, the more intrigued she became. The idea of finding a friend with benefits to “treat” her husband with some cuckolding action once a week began to sound more and more appealing. And though it seemed almost too good to be true, Sally found herself fantasizing about the thrill of it all—especially the thought of bringing home a creampie for her husband. The only thing holding her back? She’s worried about how to bring it up without hurting his feelings or damaging their relationship.

So, let’s help Sally out, shall we? This one is for you if you’re in a similar boat, or you've heard about this fetish but aren't quite sure how to go about discussing it with your partner.

First things first, Sally: your husband brought up cuckolding because he’s genuinely into the idea. Whether it’s something he fantasizes about or a lifestyle he’s seriously considering, it’s a desire he has, and he’s shared it with you because he trusts you. That’s a big deal! It means he feels comfortable enough to be vulnerable and open with you about something that’s clearly important to him.

Now, this doesn’t mean you need to jump into bed with someone else straight away. The fact that he hasn’t brought it up again might mean he’s not sure how you feel about it, or he could be waiting for you to process the idea before discussing it further. He may not even know how he feels about it. Either way, communication is key here. You’ve got to talk to him about it, but don’t worry—we’ll get to how you can do that in a minute.…

Ask Emma: I love to hurt my cuckold husband.

Ask Emma: I love to hurt my cuckold husband.

Hi Emma, my name is R and my husband and I have been married for nearly fifteen years. We've had ups and downs as any relationship may have but I secretly hate him and I'm jealous of him for many reasons. He is professionally more successful than me, smarter, better looking and I feel like life is just easier for him. We've gone to therapy and but I just can't seem to shake my resentment and anger toward him. The one and only outlet I have for these thoughts is cuckolding. He has a regular sized penis but like most men is insecure about its size and his sexual performance and he is also into cuckolding so I use that as a tool to take him deeper and deeper into the fetish. I feel guilty with the teasing at times because I know I am using it as an outlet for my own issues but it also seems to fuel his fantasy and the meaner I get the more arousing it is for both of us. At this point my husband is completely pussy free, I carry too much anger and resentment to be intimate with him in that way. I have a bull who meets my needs several times a week and he is a complete alpha and is 6'4" and my husband is 5'9" so he towers over my husband. My bull is more muscular and hung, almost a comically big dick but it takes me to cloud nine and my husband is utterly emasculated whenever he sees it. I love seeing my husband submit to my bull and accept his role as a cuck in these sexual situations. I literally love the emotional pain that I am causing my husband and I am addicted to it. I've talked to my husband about my concerns about how much I love cuckolding him and we both see it as a great outlet but I worry that it isn't normal or healthy. Should we continue or put this on pause and try to work through our issues in therapy? Why do I love hurting my husband so much?

Hate is a very strong emotion and usually stems from resentment due to unmet needs or desires causing positive emotions to turn negative. When one partner feels that their needs are consistently and constantly unaddressed, resentment can fester. For some women this sort of thing can show up in passive aggressive behavior, outright hostility and more subtly is nit-picking little details to prove to yourself why your husband is a poor match. Before answering your questions about cuckolding, let's talk about some of the issues that need to be discussed first. What are your deepest needs and desires in this relationship? How do your past relationship traumas bleed into your feelings for your husband? Is there anything from your parents and upbringing bleeding into your relationship expectations? What role do I play in the hatred that I feel toward husband? Lastly, do you love yourself?

I think the the last question is the most poignant because it seems you are resorting to belittling and cuckolding your husband because you are not happy with yourself and your life. I suggest that you seek solo therapy to get to the bottom of your own personal issues and only then can you work toward repairing and forgiving your husband. It sounds like you lack empathy and feel like your husband's successes are something that he is doing to you rather than achievements that you have accomplished together.

You are clearly cuckolding for the wrong reasons and your lack of sexual contact with your husband is concerning but with that said, your current lifestyle is up to you. If the two of you feel like it isn't detrimental to your husband's self confidence, sexual satisfaction and sexual performance then by all means, do you. Cuckolding provides an outlet for your aggression under the guise of fantasy which may be the best option for you right now. I'd suggest that you try yoga or some other things to manage your emotions internally rather than express them externally to "punish" your husband for the feelings that you have toward him. This tit for tat transfer of emotional pain isn't sustainable and it needs to be addressed and only the two of you can decide if continuing your cuckold relationship is an acceptable outlet while you work on these issues.

I also wonder about the chicken and egg scenario with cuckolding for your husband. Did the cuckolding fetish exist before your marriage issues sprung up or as a result of it? Men are more prone to fetish than us and it isn't uncommon to feelings of sexual denial to become eroticized as a coping mechanism. While trying to avoid suffering, his brain may turning unpleasant experiences into more positive feelings like arousal. You didn't mention your age but if you are pre-menopausal, your feelings may be related to hormonal imbalance which can be treated with HRT.

Communicate that this is all fantasy and do your best to forgive your husband for the feelings that you have toward yourself. Consider taking a break from cuckolding and a break from your bull to focus energy on yourself for a while. You might just find that you are being too hard on yourself and you are actually a pretty alright person. Lots of love and support from all of us at EYM, thanks having the confidence to send the question.…

Ask Emma: My husband is in the friendzone. Is it possible that our marriage has just run its course?

Ask Emma: My husband is in the friendzone. Is it possible that our marriage has just run its course?

Hi Jessica!

Thanks for your email. I know this must be hard for you, I feel like I can hear the trepidation in your email. As you pointed out, it sounds like you've put your husband into the friend zone and that can be tough waters to navigate especially for a married couple.

The friend zone is a place where you get along with someone but there is no spark. Think about a sibling or parent whom you connect with emotionally but taking the jump to physical isn't at all enticing. There is no spark and no flutter as you noted. This guy is part of your support network but there is no arousal, no butterflies and no yearning for sexual contact or intimate touch. You may ask for a massage or backrub but it is always just that.

Are your displays of love and affection robotic? Do you say "I love you" out of habit? When he says he loves you, do you instinctively say that you love him back? Do you feel like you are taken for granted? Do you feel like you take him for granted or perhaps that he owes you something for sticking around and being his wife? Do you still flirt with each other? Perhaps you overshare and don't make an effort to be presentable for each other anymore. Do you cough, pass gas, blow your nose or even laugh about these things together without even the slightest attempt to hide them? The biggest one, do you use the restroom with the door open?

There, you said it. Could it be that your husband is truly not a good lover or do you simply thrive on the newness. Would you have married him initially if he wasn't a good lover? Does sex with the same partner get boring over time? Do women get bored with the same man over time? The fact is you can’t generalize the sexual boredom and preferences of all genders. Every one of us has predisposition to sexual boredom and both genders experience it but women are more predisposed to it.

Marta Meana of the University of Nevada at Las Vegas spelled it out by saying. “Long-term relationships are tough on desire, and particularly on female desire." To love is to have but desire is to want and even need something that you don't have. This is why desire fades in a long term relationship; because you already have it. Esther Perel says in her book Mating in Captivity "the qualities of a relationship that grow love – mutuality, protection, safety, predictability, protection, responsibility for the other – are the very things that will smother desire." and she is correct. These things all enhance love and reduce the uncertainty and novelty that drive desire.…

Ask Emma – Should I let a man other than my husband get me pregnant?

Ask Emma – Should I let a man other than my husband get me pregnant?

Hi Mrs. Moscato! First off, you sent this over a month ago and I'm just getting a chance to post it so I'd like to start with an apology. Second, I'd like to congratulate you on your female led relationship and the joys that you've come to experience together. I wouldn't dwell on regretting not starting earlier too much as I believe that it is essential to develop a bond together before venturing outside. A FLR and a submissive husband is a beautiful thing. Trust me, I know and love my relationship and the man I am blessed to have in Kev.

I hate to give too much advise but I feel like you are just starting to understand the FLR dynamic that you've established for the last 10 months. Taking four lovers in as much time has presumably sparked conversation between the two of you. With regard to having a child with one of these lovers, I would caution that it may be too early. I see that you've got an affinity for black men and presumably you are not black so it would be quite obvious that your husband is not the father.

If you are both ready for children and you feel that this is the best way to make it happen then I encourage you to move forward cautiously with plenty of conversation. Although submissive, your husband is still your partner and your lifestyle is an extension of your marriage together. It is clear that your lifestyle is not a weekend fetish but a way of experiencing life together. Children are of course a permanent part of your life as well. With all of that said, I recommend that you keep pregnancy a fantasy and that you get a puppy. Take my advice with a grain of salt and remember that my words of wisdom are coming from a woman with no desire to bear children. I see this sort of thing in fantasies often and the fetish/fantasy element is the humiliation of the man raising a child that was obviously not fathered by him. My opinion is that bringing a child into the world for the purpose of furthering your fantasy is not fair to the child or to yourself. A child is not a fantasy, a child is a life and should be taken very seriously. I'm not suggesting that you are only doing this as an element of your fantasy but I am suggesting that you take a look in the mirror and ensure that you fully understand your motivations.

What about the other man, is he simply a sperm donor or do you intend to find someone that will raise the child with you and your husband. I assume that your intention is the former but it should be a conversation and you should understand that your husband will have no rights to the child as you will have no rights to support if your marriage breaks up. This needs to be discussed and legal decisions and documents should be filed to make sure that you both have the protections that you need. Anything legal is outside my advice-giving-abilities so I highly recommend that you speak to a family law attorney.

Thanks for sending your question and feel free to post any follow-ups in the comments below. I'm happy to help further if I can. Don't take my negativity about the topic as criticism, it most certainly is not. I just want to make sure that the two of you tiptoe into major decisions and ensure that you fully think them through. Lots of love to both of you!

An update about Kev and I. It has been nearly a month since my last post on the site but it isn't an indication of things to come. My current mental spot is once of introspection and experience. Kev and I are enjoying our half-open marriage and learning about what makes us happy with our arrangement. We are both doing fine and our curiosity is directed inward at least for the moment. Kev has explored a certain level of bisexuality that we are not yet ready to share on this site but we will at some time. Thank you all for the interesting dialog on the forum, I've been happy to chime in on those conversations from time to time and see all of your smiling faces. I hope you are having a wonderful 2023 and I trust that the coming year will bring wonderful things for your relationships. …

Ask Emma: How can I stop feeling guilty about taking control?

Ask Emma: How can I stop feeling guilty about taking control?

Hello Anonymous Committed Husband!

Thank you for sharing what are extremely common concerns. Your wife is taking control of sex in your marriage and that comes along with many feelings. Lots of feelings surround sex; something that is already surrounded by feelings. Your brain is your biggest sex organ so everything starts there. For many women, control is one of the biggest parts of sex. That is most often giving up control but many modern marriages the woman is learning that she feels very empowered by taking control. In taking control, she will determine when he cums, when he is locked, when or if sex happens and what type of sex that is. Women are also taking another look at non-monogamy and realizing that many of us simply aren't wired to enjoy the same guy for years and years at a time. We are wired to thrive from the attention of many men. We are the peacocks of society, look at me, give me attention. When a woman takes control of her marriage, she does not give anything up. Indeed she takes that all and has an opportunity to be selfish with her sexuality.

A marriage is about give and take, we should be equals. Right? One person in a marriage typically controls the sex. Whether that is the man demanding it or the woman allowing it. When you flip the script, the woman demands control of sexuality. She understands that this control feeds into all aspects of the relationship. You mentioned that she has more orgasms and gathers greater pleasure during sex. Oftentimes this is at the expense of your own pleasure. What she may be overlooking is the power of the brain. You are getting pleasure from sex by experiencing sexuality through her eyes. You are accepting that years of mediocre sex is bubbling up to the point where she has had enough.

She is feeling guilty because we as women are trained that the purpose of sex is to please the man. If the man is pleased then sex is over. When he cums, sex ends. This of course leads to the orgasm gap, where 39% of women say they always orgasm when they masturbate as compared to 6% of the time when they have sex. Why is the gap so big and why does the gap come at the expense of heterosexual women? Our society's definition of sex, that's what. She may be feeling guilty about the way sex is going right now but if she takes a look at the big picture she may see that she has been misinterpreting her lack of sexual control all along.

Most men have an innate desire to please women. This is not just sexual but it often has its roots in sexuality. i.e. If my mate is pleased then she will not stray. Harnessing this desire to please inside the bedroom and throughout your sex life is a wonderful way to capture a new type of sexual control. The ah-hah moment happens when your wife accepts that you thrive from allowing her to take a sexual lead. When she finds that your needs are not only met by your orgasm but by her orgasms.

Don't accept the lie that you've been sold for your entire life. Sex is about women, take control in the bedroom and throughout the sexuality in your relationship. A modern marriage is based on a heightened focus on the woman's sexual arousal cycle. She needs to feel sexy and she needs to feel satiated. This may mean that your ego needs to take a back seat as you pleasure her with something that isn't your own penis. This may mean that she may need the attention of another man to feel alive. As women, our bodies can shut down boring or redundant sex and that often drives us into depression and reluctance to even be sexual. We can even stop seeing ourselves as sexual beings and that becomes dangerous to our own self image. The moment your self image doesn't include the word SEXY is the moment that you need to re-evaluate your relationship and the active sexual role that you take in it.…

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