So, you’ve been swiping through Tinder and you come across a profile that mentions ENM. What does it mean? If you’re not familiar with the term, it can be confusing. But fear not, we are here to answer the question, what is ENM on Tinder.
First things first, ENM stands for “Ethical Non-Monogamy”. It’s a term used to describe a type of relationship where both partners are aware of and agree to have multiple romantic or sexual relationships with other people. ENM is what is referred to as an “umbrella term,” meaning it can be used to describe a lot of different types of ENM relationships that mean different things. A far from complete yet still helpful glossary of ENM terms can be found here.
ENM is not the same as cheating. Cheating involves breaking the agreed-upon rules of a monogamous relationship and often lying about it to your partner. In ENM, the rules are communicated and agreed upon by all parties involved. In fact, in ENM relationships communication and understanding are essential, and often effective communication is more prevalent in ethically non monogamous relationships.
If you’re someone who is interested in exploring non-monogamous relationships, it’s important to be upfront about it on your dating profile. This can save you and potential matches time and frustration. Also, if you are someone who has matched with someone who has ENM on their profile, our resources here at the ENM Forum should have everything that you will need to know.
That being said, if you’re not interested in non-monogamous relationships, it’s okay to swipe left on profiles that mention ENM. Everyone has their own dating preferences and boundaries. While Tinder is one of the biggest dating apps, it’s not a polyamorous dating app, but there are a lot of poly and ENM profiles in it.
Remember that communication is key in all relationships, especially ENM and poly ones. We suggest that you have a chat with your ENM match and ask them what their experiences have been, and specifically what they mean by ENM.
They could be polyamorous, meaning that they seek emotional connections with multiple partners, or they could be strictly seeking just sexual encounters with others while being in a primary emotional relationship, solo or strictly together.
Everyone who has used Tinder knows that it can be a very silly place, and making genuine connections is difficult at times. Also, it can be intimidating to consider an ENM relationship. However, we urge you to be open minded, because there are a lot of happy and successfully empowering ENM relationships out there!