Let's discuss the differences between swinging, group sex and orgies!

I was just rereading Nicolette's wonderful topic about group sex and several folks have chimed in about the differences between swinging parties and group sex.

I'm reading a book called, "A History of Orgies" by Burgo Partridge and it just seems as if the idea of orgies is just no more. That what was "an orgy" is now termed, "group sex" or some sort of swinging, which I had always thought of swinging as involving just two couples (or maybe three). I'm sure that's the classical definition of swinging but I'm curious about what it means today.

So perhaps we could discuss and clarify what these activities are?

For example, would a "gangbang" be considered a type of orgy?

Elisabeth

P.S. For the record, not everything has to be completely defined!

My 65 year old self has been "swinging" since I was about 28.
An "orgy" is a "free-for-all", a large group of people, minimum 20, of assorted sexes gather in a large room and suck and fuck each other until everyone is completely drained. There is generally no restraint on activities or partners, and, back then, "safe sex" was not even considered.
"Swinging" is a number of couples, minimum two, maximum unlimited although too many gets confusing, who agree to swap partners with each other. Regular relationships can develop. I dated a girl who swung with the husband of a couple where the wife of that couple swung with the husband of the woman I was swinging with. There are on-premises swing clubs where a couple can meet others and agree to swap on the spot. There are off-premises swing clubs, San Souci, Jet Set, etc. where couples meet and socialize and then make future plans together, either for that night or some other night.
There are loose off-premises swing clubs, Jet Set, (I have not been in many years, but I suspect it has not changed), where you can swap lightly in the club. HJ's under the table, BJ's kneeling behind the back bar. If this still goes on, it can be very exciting, knowing that 50 other couples are within 50 feet.
"Gang-bangs" do not qualify for either orgy or swinging. A gang-bang is very straightforward. A girl, either professional or for fun, has sex, oral, vaginal and/or anal with a group of three or more men. The larger the group, the faster the term becomes "pulling a train", A lot of this was college frat fun, where the local town tramp took on the whole frat house one after another. This is where the term "sloppy seconds" originated from.

In the 21st Century, with the need for safe sex, most of these activites have disappeared.

I was just rereading Nicolette's wonderful topic about group sex and several folks have chimed in about the differences between swinging parties and group sex.
I'm reading a book called, "A History of Orgies" by Burgo Partridge and it just seems as if the idea of orgies is just no more. ...
So perhaps we could discuss and clarify what these activities are?..
Elisabeth... Originally Posted by ElisabethWhispers

I recommend you read some original literature from antique Greece or Rome. Should give you an idea of the term orgy as a distinction to swinging, group sex and gangbang.

gangbang: dominance of a single subordinate by several dominants, either by consent or not.
swinging: swapping of spouses.
group sex: any combination with more than two in a single act.

orgy: a supertype of group sex with a larger number of participants and where several acts take place in parallel. typically over a longer period of time (e.g. days) and in combination of other types of pleasure (meals, art performances).

...In the 21st Century, with the need for safe sex, most of these activites have disappeared. Originally Posted by toyrrific

I disagree. In private settings with a trusted circle of friends, it still happens.