By Shubh Ashish Singh and Ayushi Kumari
The impact of technology on infidelity, including emotional infidelity, in homosexual relationships, is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon. This research paper aims at exploring and analysing how modern technology has reshaped the concept of infidelity in the context of evolving societal norms and the LGBTQ+ community, and how concept on infidelity has developed in the one existing today, and what leads to individuals, particularly in homosexual couples, inclined towards actions like adultery.
Throughout history, infidelity has been understood and treated differently by various societies and cultures. In ancient civilizations, it was considered as a non-compliance to social order and its breach, with different standards for individuals from both genders. With the rise of religion, infidelity became a sin against morality of an individual and the virtue of god. However, in contemporary societies, there has been a shift towards individualism and personal freedom, leading to more liberal approaches towards the act of infidelity.
Homosexual relationships, in particular, face unique challenges due to societal biases and discrimination directed towards them. These challenges can lead to trust issues, difficulties in emotional intimacy, and low self-esteem, all of which increase the risk of decreasing Dyadic satisfaction, the overall assessment of one's romantic relationship, which due to stated factors is lower in homosexual relationships, and often resulting to act of infidelity.
Technology, especially social media platforms, have played a significant role in shaping the dynamics of infidelity. The constant exposure to idealized portrayed versions of other couples' lives on social media can lead to feelings of inadequacy and a desire to replicate those relationships. Individuals may seek validation and emotional connection with others they meet online, ultimately leading to emotional infidelity, through the digital space.
The digital age has redefined infidelity, expanding it beyond physical encounters to include emotional connections and explicit digital exchanges. This redefinition has blurred the boundaries of infidelity and created new challenges for individuals in romantic relationships.
The impact of technology on infidelity in homosexual relationships cannot be underestimated. It has introduced new complexities and challenges, making it essential to understand and address these issues within the homosexual relationships. As societal norms continue to evolve, so too will the concept of infidelity and the ways in which it manifests in the age of technology.
The 21st century, also known as the modern period in human history, is marked by numerous inventions and developments, the era supports and nurtures invention at an unprecedented rate, unlike previously. The most notable brain child of this evolving landscape is the invention of internet, which fuelled the invention of new means of communication. The means of communication nurtured by the developing resources like internet and network connection, are reframing the means in which humans interact and respond to each other. The social media platforms, dating apps and various other means have emerged as a direct consequences to the same, and are constantly redefining the line of social and private space of an individual, which leads us to the main theme of this research paper, which is Infidelity.
Infidelity by definition stands as the act of being unfaithful or disloyal in a romantic or marital relationship. With the rapid changes and development in technology and communication methods, the interpersonal relationships of individuals are also being drastically affected and moulded into new forms.
In the era where individuals are able to explore themselves and their sexualities, homosexual relationships have also become a common practice. Homosexual relationships are relationships that occur between the people of same sex, and like all other forms of relationships have been redefined with the growing scope of technology. These relationships which were previously considered taboo are now given such a wide scope to work upon with the development of social media platforms, and with the help of technological advancements have taken broader meanings and new ways of execution. Infidelity in homosexual relationships, the theme of our research is one such topic which is assuming new ways of execution and broader meaning by using the ever-evolving scope of modern technologies.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Sex differences in response to imagining a partner’s heterosexual or homosexual affair Authors: Confer, Jaime C., and Cloud, Mark D.:
The stated research paper mentioned the results and impacts on individuals towards their partner’s act of infidelity while remaining in a romantic relationship. The paper mentions a survey report stating an individual’s reactions to their partner indulging to the act of infidelity, where they mentioned men in general are willing to continue their relation if their partner commits homosexual or heterosexual infidelity, whereas women in general are not willing to continue the relation in either sort of infidelity.
This paper holds a research gap relating to what and which conditions ignites an individual’s interest’s to look for support outside the relationship, or in simple terms relate to infidelity, especially in homosexual relationships.
Predicting Women's Social Media Infidelity: Facebook Addiction, Relationship Satisfaction, and Moral Disengagement.
Authors: Maftei, Alexandra, Solomon, Alexandra Mihaela and Holman, Andrei Corneliu:
The stated research paper mentioned the impact of social media on relationships as well as how results of people’s romantic life towards social media. The paper highlighted the point that social media addiction is mostly present in present who are dis-satisfied with their romantic relationships. The paper however failed to address the gap that how social media has also instigated and promoted the act and notion of infidelity in romantic relationships.
RESEARCH PROBLEMS
In an age marked by the ambiguity of digital communication and technology, traditional definitions of infidelity are increasingly challenged and evolving. The research problem at the heart of this study revolves around understanding how modern technologies have reshaped the concept of adultery, and tends to answer and fill the research gaps in between research papers. The primary questions include:
What personalized struggles instigate individuals towards the act of infidelity in homosexual relationships?
In what way has infidelity evolved to a concept in a contemporary society?
How, and to what extent has the definition of infidelity been redefined with the influence of technology and social media?
How dyadic satisfaction does affects individuals in any romantic relationship?
HYPOTHESIS
To effectively work upon understanding what we aim to present in the research paper, several assumptions, which acts almost universally applicable, have been taken and applied, that are:
The lack of boundaries and limitations on digital platforms have made it much easier to form connections with others:
Individuals who are homosexual are not accepted and treated with equally in society: In the evolving perspectives of developing countries like India, the homosexuality is not still widely accepted today. Skepticism and biasness regarding individuals involved in homosexual relations exists, and have an effect on them.
ANALYSIS
DEVELOPING PERSPECTIVE
Infidelity stands not as a recently discovered concept, rather as a principle that has been engraved in the human civilisation since time immemorial. Dwelling into the historical perspectives of infidelity offers insight as to how the notion evolved into the form it holds today. Through the lens of ancient civilisations that existed several epoch ago, infidelity was a crime against the society and family, and was condemned both legally and morally, Mesopotamia, Greece and Rome had specific laws that dealt with the notion of adultery, which were Hammurabi ma’at and pietas respectively. However in all these civilisations infidelity was only considered a crime if it disrupted social order, and the punishment and penalties mostly existed only for the females engaged in such relationships. To sum it up, in the ancient civilisation the concept of infidelity was seen from more of a social lens than a legal one.
Such perspectives were changed around the middle ages when churchmen were in control. During this era, the religion was the governing force behind every social action, and societal values and perceptions were based upon the church and religion. Infidelity in this era was seen as a sin against the religion and social order, literary and artistic works also depicted instances of infidelity in scenarios of marriage. This era was quickly shifted to the era of enlightenment, where the concept of religion was replaced and superseded by the notions of individuality and personal freedom. In this phase, infidelity was particularly seen as an act of individual nature, but through a more liberal approach and diverging views.
In the late 20th century society, several notable changes have emerged in the perception infidelity as compared to previous historical perceptions, several factors like evolving gender roles, sexual liberation and changing family structures are the main key features for the same. In the past infidelity was seen from a lens mixed and influenced by double standard of patriarchal society, sometimes men were allowed to have extra-marital affairs without any consequences but the women were punished harshly for doing the same. From the dawn of 21st century world, the biased and pre-conceived notions regarding infidelity were rapidly changed, this era marked the end of such biased conceptions, and the concept of a much more egalitarian and equitable society emerged. The accountability of action was now given to every individual in equal manner, irrespective of gender and other notions. Additionally, many social institutions have emerged in a totally different way than what they were in the past, the most notable of them are the changing family structure, developing gender identities of individuals along with the level of integration of society.
PERSONALIZED STRUGGLES AND INFIDELITY
Homosexual couples have struggles in their relationships which may ignite one to lead to infidelity. Individuals in homosexual relationships, being in a heteronormative society have to face several specific challenges directed towards them, which are not found in heterosexual relationships, which include lack of support and acceptance from family and society, discrimination of being a minority, and institutional separatism ignited by non-compliance to expected normative societal norms regarding relationships, which ignite the feelings related to trust issues, difficulty in connecting with partner intimately and emotionally, low selfesteem etc. which makes these kinds of relations high-risk low-reward ones. Factors like these make individuals in homosexual relationships inclined to commit to act of infidelity, as the theory of interdependence offers a perspective that individual are not inclined to stay, let alone be faithful in any relation which is not a ‘good relationship’. A ‘good relationship’ by the theory is one which is romantic in nature and offer benefits which exceeds the losses of being in that relation, which may not be the case in homosexual relationships as the societal stigmatization along with other factors makes the same sex relationship not a ‘good relationship’ as described by the theory of interdependence.
Additionally dyadic satisfaction, which is an individual’s overall assessment of their romantic relationship, in individuals in homosexual relationship remains low due to the high-risk lowreward factor being involved, which according to studies again is a significant reason for individuals being engaged in the act of infidelity. As individuals in homosexual relationships have to constantly utilize their energy in proving and advocating their sexuality, the energy they tend to devote towards the relationship lessens, which leads to low dyadic satisfaction in relationship, which leads to individual finding the missing satisfaction out of the relation, whether in physical or emotional form.
The feeling of internalised homophobia and dubious self-acceptance in homosexual relations is a common one, and these can affect the self-esteem and overall well-being of an individual, these feelings make individual emotionally vulnerable and less vested in maintain the relationship which increases the dis-satisfaction in relationship and often leads to act of infidelity, by seeking support from outside the institution of relationships,
IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY IN INFIDELITY
The impact of technology on infidelity in homosexual relationships is a complex and evolving phenomenon. Technology has both positive and negative effects on relationships within the LGBTQ+ community, including its influence on infidelity related behaviours. Individuals in relationship while using social media platforms are bound to find posts of other couples posting their happy moments or ‘couple goals’ on social media, which inflicts a sense of inferiority in them regarding their relationship struggles, which is relatively high in the case of homosexual relationships in particular, and thus individuals in relationship often resort to act of adultery to justify their falsely inflated needs. Additionally Individuals are bound to meet new people with similar interests, or past on social media platforms, and get attracted towards them, often sparking the flames for infidelity.
To understand this we could also take an illustrations, A, an individual in the institution of romantic relationship with B, sees other individuals and couples on social media sharing their best moments, when comparing his/her lives with those of ideal couples, A resorts to feeling deprived of what he/she desires in life, and tends to try hard to make what he/she sees on social media a practice in his/her relationship with B. Thus when A, meets new people on social media he/she gets a sense of validation from them for her actions, which he/she may not always receive from his/her romantic partner, and slowly starts to form a bond with them, supposedly C. The relation of A and C grows close with passage of time and sharing of secrets and emotional dependence becomes a part of their relationship, their relationship
evolves till sharing of explicit material regarding one’s body becomes a normal part of it. Then one-day B finds out about this and tends to confront A regarding his/her infidelity. A may claim that nothing actually or physically happened A and his/her social media friend so no action of adultery was performed, well in turn B’s argument may include that infidelity was done in the relationship.
It can be interpreted that infidelity has been totally redefined in the context of digital age and rise of social media platforms. Infidelity was being redefined in such a way that it cannot be restricted to being physically close, and has transcended into the realm of digital one as well.
The authors of this article are Shubh Ashish Singh, a BALLB student at Symbiosis International University, and Ayushi Kumari, a BA student at Delhi University.
This article contains the view of the author and the publisher in no way associates with the views or ideologies of the author. All the moral rights vests with the Author(s).
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