What even is emotional cheating?

In The Wedding Planner, Steve and Mary never technically cross a physical line—but does that mean nothing shady is going on? If you’re emotionally invested in someone outside your relationship, is that cheating?

This week, DB brings in feminist relationship theory from bell hooks, Esther Perel, and Adrienne Rich to unpack emotional infidelity—what it is, why it happens, and how relationship norms shape who gets away with it.

Plus: why women are expected to tolerate emotional neglect, how to set boundaries without controlling your partner, and why emotional closeness doesn’t have to be a threat to commitment.

Mentioned in this episode:

"The Wedding Planner": Girlbossing, Gaslighting, and Groom-Stealing" (Rom-Com Vom)

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ABOUT THE SHOW Sex Ed with DB is your go-to podcast for smart, science-backed sex education—delivering trusted insights from top experts on sex, sexuality, and pleasure. Empowering, inclusive, and grounded in real science, it’s the sex ed you’ve always wanted.

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