Sometime married couples are not sexually compatible for various reasons. It could be because of health or medical reason or a spouse not into sex anymore. If that is the case, does your spouse know and approve of a friend with benefits? My wife and I are very sexual seniors, and know if one of us can't perform sex, we agreed to have a FB. We have not done this yet, but it is intriguing. Who has a FB within marriage?
If a married person has a FWB that their spouse is unaware of, the technical term for that FWB is "co-respondent".
The title suggested that knowledge and consent was in question. I think one issue would be why one couldn't "perform sex". Lack of desire and lack of mobility are two different issues.
I'm old fashioned. Your spouse should BE your friend with benefits. EDIT: Posting from my phone virtually guarantees typos.
Same here,my spouse is my friend with benefits. But what if a spouse no longer wants to or can't provide sexual support what then? Where does that leave the spouse that still has sexual needs. Leave masturbation out of it.
The sad thing is, the person you'd be leaving behind who supposedly can't have sex with you due to a medical condition, emotionally feels bad about it, and probably ''has needs'' too. If someone just flat out refuses to have sex in the relationship, not due to anything medically related, then I'd say that is a compatibility issue, and divorce is always a better option that bringing new people into it. I would feel depressed in either situation, if I was given ''consent'' from my spouse to go sleep with other guys. I'd feel bad for him if he couldn't have sex anymore (and wouldn't feel good getting off with another guy while he sits at home alone), or for me, that I'm in a sexless relationship because my husband wouldn't want to, anymore. I think it's probably not as simple as that, too...because people can also catch feelings with FWB arrangements, and you might really create a bigger mess than you thought you had.
