Mo’Nique On The Secrets of An Open Marriage: People thought it was about swinging and orgies.

Mo’Nique, Sidney Hicks

In 2006 singer Jill Scott interviewed Oscar winning actress and comedian Mo’Nique for Essence Magazine. In the interview Mo’Nique revealed that she and her husband Sydney Hicks had an open marriage. The Precious actress didn’t discuss the ins and outs of the relationship at that time, but she did say ‘Love me enough to be honest with me,’ which lead most to believe that her husband was the one who wanted the open marriage. Ten years later, the still married polyamorous couple is transparent about their open marriage on their podcast “Mo’Nique and Sidney’s Open Relationship,” where they share how they have made their relationship work 10 years later. In a recent interview with The New York Times Mo’Nique and Sidney open up about how they have made their open marriage work. See a few excerpts.

On how she explains her open marriage:

Mo’Nique: People didn’t understand. They thought it was about swinging and orgies, and then there were individuals who are vehement about God, and they were bringing God into their opinions.

How Mo’Nique handles criticism:

Mo’Nique: People lost their minds and the criticism has never let up.

Mo’Nique on why she proposed an open marriage:

Mo’Nique: I wanted to continue to see the gentlemen that I was seeing, and I felt comfortable telling my best friend. I’m grateful he taught me I had to play fair.

On what she learned about being in an open relationship:

Mo’Nique: Sidney had this one thing he had to teach me, and that was reciprocity. He said, ‘If you can have that, it’s only fair that I can have that, too.’

On their relationship:

Sidney: Before she was my wife, she was my sister. And there have been moments when she was like my little girl. When you go through all these dynamics with someone, you understand them. We got into this knowing that we both wanted to be with someone who’s going to allow you to be who you are. I think one of the most romantic things you can do as a couple is be honest with each other. And we are.

Why on open marriage works for them:

Sidney: Defining what makes a marriage work is like asking one’s interpretation of success. It’s defined a different way by every person you ask.
Mo’Nique: For us, it’s defined by openness and not fear. If one of us feels jealous, we talk our way through it. What we have is real and honest. It’s changed my life and saved my life.

Click here to read the full interview.

By –@OctaviaNakia

Follow us: @theJasmineBRAND on Twitter | theJasmineBRAND on Facebook| theJasmineBRANDcom on Instagram