Is there a new meaning to the term swinger?

Question

I was just wondering if some one could tell me.
Has swinger come to mean something different than it once did.
You know sometimes words change meanings over time such as at one time gay meant happy and joyful and now it means of course homosexual.
The reason I am asking this question is that for me swinger has always had the meaning of an alternate lifestyle as explained in this link
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swinger
However I see people on here listing themselves as swingers that have no interest in this type of lifestyle at all and think that it is gross or too far off the wall.
Some of these "swingers" are too young, 18 to 20 years old, to even know what they are.
Therefore I would like to know if the term has changed meanings or people are just trying to be misleading in their profiles.
As for me, I prefer the original meaning and that is what I choose to live by.
For those of you who would think that my lifestyle is gross or bad, well, all I can say is I never asked for an opinion.
Darryl

Answer 1

The original term for the word "Swinger" derived from the dancing that occurred in the 1920's. Swing dancing was wildly popular and became a craze just as disco did in the 70's.

However, as this dance style moved on, the term "Swinger" came to mean someone that was in touch with the latest and greatest trends.

During the second world war, wife swapping began as a way to ensure that military member's wives were taken care of if something happened to the husband. The wives would be taken care of emotionally, financially, and sexually.

The term "swingers" began to be applied sexually in the late 60's early 70's. It came about figuratively as someone who swings from person to person to person sexually.

Recently, the term has come up again as it did in the 30's, as someone who is hip to whatever is in style. However, because of the growing base of sexual "swingers", these stylish swingers are often getting pulled into a subculture that they are either unaware of or do not realize the size of the subculture.

Answer 2

Ive always thought of swinging as the "hey lets go have sex with another couple". Im not sure how others are using the term, but perhaps a younger and not sexually mature crowd is horning in on your term. Fight the youth! Keep swingin' with the real swingers, not the POSERS!!!! good luck to ya

Answer 3

I've never heard of swinger meaning anything but that lifestyle. Maybe they actually mean they're into polygamy or something.

Answer 4

the only definition i comprehend of a swinger is couples that have intercourse with different couples. I considered a documentary on it. on no account accomplished it yet while i became in a "no longer so severe dating" i could.

Answer 5

originally, swinger was meant as someone who went out and partied every night, not people who were into spousal swapping and leather and accoutrement

Answer 6

it still means the same thing as it always did