Achi news desk-
Viewers want a taste of polyamory after seeing the film. (MGM Amazon)
ChallenGers has been praised for its sexual homoeroticism, as well as its touching moments, but the romance drama has also served polyamory into the mainstream.
Although the film is a tennis film, it is essentially about the dynamics of the three central characters, Tashi (Zendaya), Art Donaldson (Mike Fist), and Patrick Zweig (Josh O’Connor).
Polyamory is explored in the queer-coded film apart from its sunshine games on the court and tennis core looks. One scene shows Tashi allowing the tennis girls the privilege of kissing her neck, if only to get the two men off each other for enjoyment.
Their polyamorous dynamic must have sparked something in viewers, because some fans have expressed their desire for their own “Challengers summer”. Forget the hot summer girl, it’s time to explore being in a trouple.
“Two men walking past told me I looked good. Challengers summer starts now,” wrote one viewer on X (formerly Twitter).
“Anyone wants to see Challengers with me??? Maybe two men??? Just a thought,” added another. “I want to watch Challengers sitting in between two men,” echoed another.
Another lamented: “3 tickets for challengers please. And me and the two men I want at the same time.”
In fact, sexual wellness brand LELO found that following the film, over a quarter of Brits would consider entering into a polyamorous relationship. Meanwhile, 38% of 18-24 year olds believed that the idea of a polyamorous relationship would meet all their intimacy needs.
Kate Moyle, the brand’s sex and relationship expert, says that narratives and conversations in the media – like some of Challengers – moves people “away from a ‘one size fits all’ model of relationships to a more inclusive model.
“We see this reflected in the statistics which show that people are being more exploratory and open to trying ethical relationship models that are not monogamous,” explains Moyle.
“The sexual wellness movement encourages people to find what’s right for them, which may be outside of the relationship model they previously felt they had to subscribe to.
“As we read, learn, listen, speak and teach more and integrate and normalize ideas about gender and relationships taking different shapes into our lives, then we gradually move towards a place that is more accepting,” she closing
How to open a relationship:
- Research is everything: Moyle suggests getting educated about polygamy “before you start anything, because non-monogamy comes in many shapes and forms. It is important to have at least an initial idea of what you may or may not be interested in, and that you and your partner have discussed this.
- Communication is everything: “If you’re in a relationship, you have to discuss it with your partner first and this can take time,” suggests Moyle. “Talking about opening up your relationship is likely to be a discussion that involves several conversations. Don’t expect you and your partner to be on the same page from day one – and have honest conversations about what you hope to achieve, what you care most about, what interest you, and importantly, if you have anything strong – going.”
- Set ground rules: “Be prepared to establish ground rules, even if you’ve been together for a long time, maybe you’ve never done anything specific before. Often in relationships, we fall into a pattern and a way of being without ever having a specific conversation,” Moyle said.
- First time nerves: Although movies like Challengers Romanticizing polyamory, like any new relationship or sexual experience, the first time is rarely the best. “Understand that the first experience you have may not be the perfect one, or it may not be what you thought it would be,” says Moyle. “Expectations can often hinder the reality of situations and we can treat these as learning experiences rather than failures. Not every first date turns into a relationship, and we don’t develop a relationship with every single person we meet in life and we should treat the opening of our relationship in the same way.”
