Getting together pre-internet?

[Hipshot1554]

I know that fetishists and swingers pre-date the internet. My question is... how was getting together with other like minded people accomplished before the internet made social networking so available? I grew up in this time and when I found Lit I was amazed by the popularity of sexual networking.

 

[DennisB]

There were magazines, adult magazines that had advertisements located in the back. Swinging started out in WWII in the army. After the war, advertisement was very limited. But there were literature available if you wanted to seek. But way back then, you had to be “in” to gain the knowledge of where to look. Nowadays it is easy, you watch a movie starring Vince Vaughn about couples on an island and just do a google search, lol! You will find websites or clubs near me and boom!

Back in the days, it was a closed circle. Hope this helps?

 

[Hipshot1554]

There were magazines, adult magazines that had advertisements located in the back. Swinging started out in WWII in the army. After the war, advertisement was very limited. But there were literature available if you wanted to seek. But way back then, you had to be “in” to gain the knowledge of where to look. Nowadays it is easy, you watch a movie starring Vince Vaughn about couples on an island and just do a google search, lol! You will find websites or clubs near me and boom!

Back in the days, it was a closed circle. Hope this helps?

Yes, thank you. I figured there might have been some sort of underground.

 

[DennisB]

I was amazed when friends told us about how swinging all started. Shocking at first but when you digest it, it actually would make a good movie, porn or non porn, lol!

Imagine you and I were army buddies, along with 4 or 5 others making a squad. Now the catch is we all had to live close to one another so maybe in our “platoon” there were 6 or 7 of us that lived within a 100 miles of one another. That is more probable. Our wives were back home in the states….hey PM me for the rest of this story. Better if I don’t post it on here openly.

 

[soflabbwlvr]

In the nineties there were magazines that were devoted to swingers. Some were national, others were regional. They were like the car trader magazines that you can find today, but instead of cars they contained ads for men, women, and couples. Communication was by mail. It must have been a slow process, waiting days for mail to be delivered, and then hoping to get a response or not getting one at all. We started right after we got on the internet in around 1997, and by that time the websites were already coming online. But I used to buy those swinger mags before the internet, although I never posted or responded to an ad.

 

[J_Bone]

Back pre internet in my early 20s, I was introduced to the swinging community through a hotwife couple situation I kind of fell ass backwards into. They attended swinger/sex parties put on by a swingers group regularly and ended up getting me admitted to attend. So my experience was referral and word of mouth. It was an amazing experience.

 

[PhillyAreaM58]

I know that fetishists and swingers pre-date the internet. My question is... how was getting together with other like minded people accomplished before the internet made social networking so available? I grew up in this time and when I found Lit I was amazed by the popularity of sexual networking.

Well, I remember discovering the old "swinger contact magazines" once I could get into the adult bookstores (ABS). This was early 1980s. They were like a catolog of people. They provided some anonymity to advertisers - the swingers looking for others, by providing a mail-forwarding service. Yes - snail mail. Some were national like Odessy, some more regional like Pennsylvania Swinging Moderns and Pennsylvania Connections. I still remember some of the titles. Regionals were owned by national publishers which produced more geographically focused editions. So, there'd be a Texas Connections, etc. Anyone my age (58) or older already knows all this, but I'll continue for the younger digital-native set . . .

So, advertisers placing ads were provided with a code they would include in the copy. The interested reader would then send a letter response addressed to the publisher and including the "box" code of the advertiser. Responders could choose of course to include their personal contact information for the advertiser. I can't imagine the lead time, waits and frustration this casued in the old days. Only very rarely would an advertiser choose to include their own personal contact information. And then it was almost always only a local PO Box they personally rented for the purpose of their swinger-correspondence. Most advertisers were looking to meet. Others were merely looking for photo or VHS exchange.

I was always amused by those advertisers that used PG-rated language in their ads using innuendo and double entendres rather than anything explicit. It was as if they were advertising in their local newspaper and only seeking the attention of those who understood the meanings. I mean, there was no doubt in these contact magazines. you can Google "vintage swingers ads" and get a taste of these. Some are pretty hilarious.

My favorite part were the photos included by advertisers. These were usually Polaroid snapshots - which avoided having to have film processed and printed from negatives. They blew my mind. All these very normal looking people - like my parents' friends. The full range of shapes and sizes, not to mention desires, likes, fetishes, etc.. Homemade pics and vids are still my favorite form or porn.

When I was in my early 20s, I remember seeing one ad I was very interested in responding to. Honestly, I don't remember if I actually responded or not. Needless to say I never got a response if I did and obviously never actually connected with the couple.

Anyone have anything to add? Anyone ever advertise or respond to ads back in the day?

I haven't been in an ABS in some time, but I assume the contact mags are long gone. Boy were they fun though.

P.S. I broached checking out an off-premises club with my wife a couple years ago. I had noticed a billboard near Atlantic City(?!). It was discreet, like those PG ads mentioned above, but I knew exactly what it was. Unfortunately her answer was "no dice." Oh well - I like to think swinging may be one of those 'be careful what you wish for" things.

 

[PhillyAreaM58]

I was amazed when friends told us about how swinging all started. Shocking at first but when you digest it, it actually would make a good movie, porn or non porn, lol!

Imagine you and I were army buddies, along with 4 or 5 others making a squad. Now the catch is we all had to live close to one another so maybe in our “platoon” there were 6 or 7 of us that lived within a 100 miles of one another. That is more probable. Our wives were back home in the states….hey PM me for the rest of this story. Better if I don’t post it on here openly.

Dennis, I'd love to hear . . .