The below text was reformatted and taken from the Sweetwaters website. It's published here for ease of reading, as well as for the added emphasis on the parts that I saw as significant.

• What is swinging?

Swinging is a form of recreational social sex between consenting adults, most commonly consisting of male/female couples meeting other male/female couples for sex and/or ongoing intimate friendships.

Swinging (otherwise known as "the lifestyle") can take a variety of different forms. Although single women are generally welcome at swinging events, the degree to which single men are accepted varies from club to club. Although female bisexuality is generally accepted in the swinging community, the degree to which male bisexuality is accepted also varies from club to club.

Swing clubs can be "on-premises" (which means that one may interact sexually with others at that event) or "off-premises" (which means that one would generally go back to the home or hotel room of other couples for sex, after deciding to do so at the event). Newspapers and magazines which carry personal ads for swingers also exist, and to a slightly lesser degree these publications may also be considered an aspect of "the lifestyle."

Swingers have traditionally been largely middle class and tend to blend in quite easily with the general population in terms of appearance and ideology.

• Reasons for Swinging

It is generally felt that you can divide swingers into two categories; those who participate for recreational and those who participate for utopian reasons.

Recreational swingers see swinging as a social activity much like bowling, playing tennis and cards.

Utopian swingers have a general philosophy of communitarians and wish to share not only sex but all other aspects of life with their fellow participants. At this time there is relatively little scientific data that indicates what long-term effect swinging actually has on marriages.

Nevertheless, there is a general belief among swingers that swinging has a positive effect upon a marriage. They believe that sexual fidelity is harmful and breeds jealousy and a feeling of ownership between a husband and wife. According to them swinging does away with jealousy and helps each mate see the other as an individual and not as a possession.

Another reason for swinging is boredom with marital sex. Swingers feel that it is impossible for one person to satisfy another sexually over an extended period of time. Swinging is seen as a method of adding new excitement to the marriage, perhaps even salvaging it. Most swingers know couples who have tried to salvage a bad marriage by swinging and they observed that this generally has not been successful. Most swingers believe that swinging alone cannot save a bad marriage. They do believe that it can strengthen a good marriage.

There may be deeper psychological reasons for swinging. It is believed that men may need to translate early sexual fantasies into reality and that women may be fulfilling social-romantic needs.

Some believe that because of the marginality of the new middle class , they seek experiences with others in order to feel they belong. They participate in swinging to develop social ties and to satisfy the need for sexual fulfillment that is a result of their restrictive middle-class backgrounds. Swinging gives them an opportunity to do both without disrupting their general lifestyle.

All reasons, whether social, psychological, or sociological are, at the present time, only speculation. One could easily conclude that the reasons for participating in swinging are as varied as swingers themselves..

• Advantages of Swinging

Sexual variety, sexual fulfillment and the potential of carrying out of one's fantasies are among the advantages of swinging. Sexual excitation increases for both partners as a result of the new types of sexual experiences and there are discussions of actual sexual experiences. Women receive a great deal of positive reinforcement. They may begin seeing themselves as more desirable.

Women reported that they have been able to shed sexual inhibitions that they were raised with.

According to many swingers, you have more of a feeling of your own "personhood". You think of yourself as a person and not a thing. Many swingers say that swinging creates stronger bonds between couples. Married couples find that swinging increases their ability to communicate with each other. Many couples believe that if a married couple can discuss swinging together they can discuss anything. Swingers believe they experience individual growth and develop an ability to communicate better with other people.

Generally, swingers believe that swinging has a positive effect on their marriage. About 85 percent of both husbands and wives feel that swinging is not a threat to marriage or love between spouses. None of them reported that their marriage became worse since they began swinging and the majority feel their marriages have improved. Husbands, in particular, consistently reported a high level of marital happiness and adjustment.

Apparently, swinging has had no negative effect on the sexual lives of the couples, in fact, swinging couples have sexual intercourse more frequently than the general population. More than half of the swinging couples have sex together more than four times a week as compared with only 16 percent of the general population.

Many swingers reported that rather than dampening their ardor for each other, swinging often caused an arousal of sexual interest for each other. Many of them often engaged in sex together immediately after returning home from a sex party.

The effects of swinging most often reported are the following:
(1) Couples experienced an increased feeling of warmth, closeness, and love, often most intense immediately after swinging when the couple got together and discussed their experiences. This is as if the swinging experience was proof of their love.
(2) Knowledge and confidence regarding sexual technique was more fully developed.
(3) Social life was enriched and active.
(4) Couples became more open and honest with one another in all areas of their relationship.
(5) A benefit for some was that sexual behavior was taken out of the dark and became a normal activity.

Another effect of swinging is that there is a change in the meaning of sex, that is, of what is appropriate sexual behavior, in what situation, and with whom. Sexual behavior in swinging becomes more broadly defined to accommodate a wider range and choice of behavior than in a typical monogamous relationship.

Sex takes on a different meaning for a wife and her spouse when she engages in oral-genital sex with another swinger in the presence of her husband. In addition, the idea that sexual exclusivity between marriage partners symbolizes devotion, trust, security, and love no longer exists and nonexclusive comes to symbolize these things.

Further, sexual behavior loses its mystery, its secretiveness, and its aspect of "something done in the dark" and takes on more the character of normal everyday activity.

• What Might I Dislike About Swinging?

If you are uncomfortable with people being sexually attracted to you and/or flirting with you, then you might be uncomfortable at events; similarly, if your relationship with your partner is on shaky ground, you might find seeing him or her flirt or be flirted with to be an uncomfortable experience.

If either of you have hidden agendas concerning finding a permanent "replacement" for each other, you're probably in for a major emotional disaster. If you and your partner cannot communicate directly about relationships and sex, you're probably eventually in for a similarly-sized disaster.

In general, sex can provoke strong feelings along with its many pleasures; if you aren't comfortable dealing with emotions, then perhaps it might be better to wait a little while before exploring "the lifestyle." If you are bothered by seeing people have sex without condoms, then you might want to avoid some of the larger play areas in many on-premises swinger's events. Although I have never run into a situation in the swinging community where my requests to use latex were looked down on in any way, it is certainly true that not all on-premises clubs requires the use of safer sex precautions. Depending on your experience with sex-positive communities other than swinging, seeing others not use latex may be unsettling to you. You should know what your own standards are with regard to safer sex, and be willing to articulate them to new people or couples you are about to have sex with. If your personal safer sex standards include using barriers for cunnilingus, then you should be prepared to do some explaining as not everyone will be familiar with this practice.

If you are offended by phobia against bi men, then you should be prepared to either look for a club that is more open-minded on this particular issue, wait for attitudes in the community to change (which I believe may happen in the next five years or so), or else attend anyway and make a point of not letting small-minded comments go unchallenged.

If you are a single male, you might actually be better off waiting until you are in a suitable relationship before attempting to become active in swinging - most swing clubs allow few if any single men to attend their events.

• Jealousy In Swinging

Generally, swingers do not show jealousy on the surface. Most swingers argue that this is because by going to parties together and leaving together, they realize their commitment to each other as a couple. Thus, they do not feel threatened because the other partner has gone into another room to have sexual relations with another individual.

One such swinger said, "We both know that each of us has experiences with other people and, yet, we come back to each other because we want to be together".

They feel that this gives them a feeling of security that they never had before because they feel and know that the partner is coming back to you even though they have had a sexual relationship with someone else. They feel that this builds up self-confidence and security.

For a couple to engage in swinging, they must throw off the belief that having sexual relations outside of marriage is improper. They must break the shackles of the double standard.

That is, the wife will be having sexual relations with other males much as the male may have had sexual relations outside the marriage with another partner previously.

• General hints for enjoyable swinging

In the context of swinging, "couples" need not be married. They should, however, have at least a little history together and familiarity with each others ' emotional needs, and be comfortable approaching others as a "couple."

The general rule of thumb is that swinging works best when couples view swinging as an enhancement to their existing sexual relationship, rather than as a replacement for a failing one.

As one would expect, good communication is critical in any attempt at swinging as a couple. There are many, many different forms that swinging may take, and whichever one you choose is fine as long as you and your partner are clear about what you are doing and why.

Sex has the potential to be an emotionally-charged area, and the pleasures that may be found in swinging can generally be reached only when both partners are sensitive to each others' needs, and put their partner's comfort first.

From a more pragmatic point of view, there will always be another party, another personal ad, another dance, another convention; there may not be another chance to salvage an exploration into swinging if one partner becomes overwhelmed in "the garden of delights" and forgets to treat his or her primary partner with sensitivity and respect. It's important to keep in mind that swinging is primarily a SOCIAL activity.

The ordinary social customs of meeting people and initiating a conversation are really not that different than at any other type of social gathering, and the process by which acquaintances become close friends is not that different either.

The key social traits that tend to be appreciated in the swinging community are responsibility, friendliness, flirtatiousness, open-mindedness, and most importantly stability with regard to one's primary relationship.

As is the case with almost all human social endeavors, if you already know people in a particular community you'll probably be happier if you attend your first few events with these people so they can introduce you to others. Waiting a little while and watching how others behave is also a good idea, as it is in almost any new social situation. Common courtesy, of course, is as welcome in the swinging community as it is in any other community; we're all just people, after all.

There are several different styles of swinging which you may see in the swinging community.

Some people may prefer not to be around when their partner is having sex with someone else ("closed swinging"), while others may insist on it ("open swinging"). The term "soft swinging" refers to trading partners just for the purposes of heavy petting and then switching back to one's primary partner for any actual sex. It might be valuable for you to think about whether there are any potential situations that you feel you would be more or less comfortable in, and discuss these with your partner.

Although not all couples find it necessary to do this, some couples feel more comfortable having social "codes" that only the two of them know. Examples might be discreet phrases or gestures which mean
a) one of you is attracted to the people or person he or she is talking to and wants to know if you are interested in swinging with them,
b) a reply to the above, either affirmatively or negatively, and
c) one of you is not having a good time and wants to get away from things for a while.

At off-premises events such as dances, it's common for people to dress up or else wear fairly sexy clothing. Dress at on-premises events tends to be more casual, since nudity is a common outcome of the evening for many.

At on-premises clubs it's a good idea to bring something like a robe so you don't have to put all your clothes back on after sex, and to avoid wearing lots of jewelry that might get lost. If there's a dress theme for a particular event, go with the theme.

By the way, it is not necessary to actually have sex with other people to have a good time in the swinging community. Off-premises activities such as dances can provide a wonderful opportunity to flirt and be flirted with in a non-threatening yet sexually-charged atmosphere, which can be fun in and of itself.

On-premises activities can provide an opportunity to appreciate the sights and sounds of sex as an enhancement to sex with your primary partner, whether you two decide to have sex at the party or after the party.

Projections Swinging is an alternative that is emerging within the traditional structure of marriage in this country. Except for their participation in co-marital sex, most swingers are living in a traditional nuclear family. One advantage for many people involved in swinging is that, except for sexual behavior, little change is required in major values related to the traditional family form.

Swinging requires changing basic values related to monogamous sexual behavior or admitting values that are different, at least from what individuals have paid lip service to in the past. Families who swing find that, except for sex related areas, it does not require substantial changes in behavioral and functional roles.

There is some evidence, however, that such sexual activities sometimes require changes in how couples handle jealousy, power, and so forth in the marriage. Swinging married probably represent the least revolutionary of the emerging alternative lifestyles.

Generally, swingers challenge traditional beliefs only in the area of sexual monogamy. Strong relationships outside the pair bond are still, for the most part, regarded as threats rather than potentials for personal growth.

Generally, contemporary swingers view sex as a recreation, which is relatively consistent with a consumer-oriented society, although there is development of personal growth and change through swinging.

Swinging may be a preservative rather than a catalyst for change in the basic structure of the family in our society. Swinging may be viewed as a bridge between old and new values for persons who need old values to feel comfortable in our changing society.

Swinging, for the most part, only violates the sexual exclusivity value and not other basic values revolving around the traditional nuclear family.

Rules on sex, paternity, and social relationships among swingers make it an adjunct to marriage rather than strictly an alternative. Swinging supports rather than disrupts monogamous marriage as it currently exists in our society.

• My first dance/house party

Couples new to swinging may be at a loss as to how to fit in, and may be nervous. This is common and quite natural.

It is the responsibility of the hosts to acquaint you with the structure of the party. They should also introduce you to others and help you to become involved in conversation. You and your mate may also wish to discuss in advance your particular method of swinging; If you will swing alone or together, open or closed, bisexually or not. These are several variations to "swinging" and it is important that you and your mate decide, in advance, those which you like and dislike.

You may also have other personal restrictions you'd like to have honored. It is important that you be honest with your mate and make your anxieties known. Establish your own ground rules but please decide on them BEFORE you start "swinging".

On your first adventure into the swinging scene you may feel uneasy about seeing your mate with someone else. Everyone has their own reasons for their feelings and all feelings should be respected.

To avoid embarrassment or disillusionment, discuss your inhibitions with your partner beforehand. Above All... Enjoy Yourself, have a good time, act out your fantasies, explore your own sexuality and enjoy everything this lifestyle has to offer with enthusiasm, laughter and a positive attitude. You are there to have the best of times and to share the uninhibited enjoyment with those who have discovered a new dimension in their lifestyles.

Don't hesitate to introduce yourselves to other people. You'll find them eager to welcome you. Swinging is about having a good time. Live some fantasies, explore your sexuality and enjoy! This lifestyle has plenty to offer with clothes on as well as off. Approach it with a positive attitude and a sense of humor.