Sexual Agreements and Arrangements

Sexual agreements and arrangements are rules or guidelines that relationship partners have about sex with people outside their relationship. This entry provides an introductory overview of what sexual arrangements may involve, motivations for having them, and their implications for relationship quality among LGBTQ populations. Most research to date has focused on sexual agreements among gay male couples, as they are a higher risk group for HIV transmission, and evidence also suggests they are more likely than lesbian or heterosexual couples to adopt nontraditional sexual [Page 1035]agreements. Accordingly, this entry draws mainly on research on sexual arrangements among gay male couples.