[Harmony♥]

If it is never defined as an exclusive relationship, can it be considered cheating?

I definitely agree with the "friends with benefits" thing.

Do you guys think that there is a double standard in regards to dating multiple partners at once (women are labeled as "sluts" where men are "studs") or is it becoming more acceptable for both genders as time goes on?

First question: No, I don't really view it as cheating. Nobody can really be upset, or get mad about the situation because there was no definition of the relationship before hand. Neither party defined the relationship as being exclusive and/or official, so therefore, they don't have any romantic ties to that person, or they have no obligation to that person. There should be a communication beforehand to make sure that the relationship is going to with FWB or a monogamous relationship. Example: My current boyfriend and I talked about being FWB before we started dating. We had an entire two hour conversation about what the terms were, what we expected out of each other. Our main rule was: if we are out together, in a group, we would go home together, not with anyone else. But, if we were out separately, we were allowed to do what we wanted with whoever we wanted, as long as we communicated what we did with the other person with each other. That way, we sort of knew what was going on, and to make sure that both of us were being safe since neither of us could handle a pregnancy scare, or even the slightest STD scare. A few weeks later, however, we both realized that our feelings for each other were too strong, and we made it official. We have been in a monogamous relationship ever since!

For the second question: I think that a couple of years ago, it's definitely viewed as 'girls are sluts, guys are studs'. But, it's becoming more and more acceptable these days. Of course, we are all judgmental creatures, and I still think of girls who sleep around as sluts, I'm not going to lie. But, it's not my place to voice that opinion (except for here, since I feel like I can do that here, so girls who have slept with multiple people at once, please don't hate me). But, I don't think of the guy as a 'stud'. I also view him as a slut, or man-whore for lack of a better word here. They're no different than us, except they can't get pregnant. Sleeping around isn't something I was ever interested in, so this is where I'm basing my opinion off of. I really have no problem with anyone who wants to sleep around, it's just not and never has been for me. There is definitely a double standard there, and there shouldn't be. Men and woman who have slept around should be viewed in the same context, although, that will definitely not be happening anytime soon.