The Differences Between Hook-Up Sex, Marital Sex, and Making Love

Douglas LaBier explains the differences between hook-up sex, marital sex, and making love. He says that striving for the "Making Love" type of sexual partnership keeps your relationship alive and growing because ouples who build such a relationship feel enduring connection and sustained passion.

Did that title get your attention? No, this isn't a "bait and switch!" It really is about the differences between "Hook-Up Sex," "Marital Sex," and "Making Love." I've found that confusion about those differences play out in many of the conflicts people experience in their sexual-romantic relationships, no matter what their ages or kinds of relationships.

First, some clarification about what I mean by each term. "Hook-Up Sex" refers to just plain f***ing; that is, a purely physical encounter. "Marital Sex" is the kind of sex life that most committed couples tend to have -- married or not, straight or gay. And "Making Love" is a different kind of experience that transcends both of the other two kinds. Read more