History Main / SexlessMarriage

* In ''Series/{{Kaamelott}}'', Arthur hasn't touched Gueneviere since their wedding, which hasn't stopped him from sleeping with just about every other woman in the castle or his in-laws from repeatedly slipping them fertility potions.

There are a few times where this trope can be in play for other reasons. Sometimes there are uncomfortable sleep issues involved (snoring, etc.) and one side will be [[ExiledToTheCouch banished from the bed]]. The trope will also occur with either a CitizenshipMarriage or someone who has SettledForGay, although in those cases this may be the default state of the marriage. In neither case does this trope suggest the romantic problems that it will under the more stereotypical circumstances. In one case because the romance is fine--it's just the sleeping patterns that are bad, and in the other because there wasn't supposed to be any romance to begin with. Another possibility is that one or both of the couple are having medical or other problems that interfere with having a sex life. In even rarer cases, the married couple may be [[{{Asexuality}} asexuals]] who don't find the sexless nature of their marriage an issue in the first place.

-->-- '''{{Website/Cracked}}'''

* In ''Literature/TobaccoRoad'', Lov's wife Pearl refuses to sleep in the same bed with him, and often even sleeps outdoors to avoid his presence. She responds to all of Lov's attempts to persuade her to be more friendly towards him with [[ElectiveMute deliberate total silence]].

* In ''Literature/TobaccoRoad'', Lov's wife Pearl refuses to sleep with him, and doesn't even let him touch her.

* Dale and Nancy's marriage was like this in ''WesternAnimation/KingOfTheHill'', with the two only having sex on birthdays and Christmas because Dale felt that abstaining from sex would help him live longer. Nancy, however, was getting plenty of sex from John Redcorn. At least until a double date with Hank and Peggy reminds Nancy of why she fell for Dale in the first place.

* To this day, there is the concept of spiritual or "Josephite" marriage, where the couple voluntarily abstains from sex, based on the Catholic idea that Mary never lost her virginity, i.e. she and Joseph never actually consummated their marriage (Jesus's brothers, as mentioned in the Bible, are explained as being from a previous wife of Joseph).

* In ''Literature/ABrothersPrice'' a man marries all the sisters of a family, but as the younger wives may not yet be interested in men, they can have a sexless marriage with him until they come of age. Or [[WestermarckEffect forever, considering that some wives may still be toddlers when the wedding takes place]]. With between ten and thirty women sharing one husband, it is presumably no problem if one or two sisters want to be celibate.

* Referenced in the pilot of ''Series/NedAndStacey when Ned explains his MarriageOfConvenience offer. "I mean, it doesn't have to be a real marriage, just a marriage minus the love, sex and intimacy, which, now that I think about it, is more real than the "real" kind."

* Dexter's parents in ''WesternAnimation/DextersLaboratory'' are heavily implied to have this kind of romance. One episode has Dee Dee disguised as her mom and when her dad gets romantic with her she gets understandbly grossed out. Her dad simply shuffles away and grumbles "What else is new?". Another episode has Dad mistaking Mandark for his wife and asking her to go to bed, but when Mandark declines he says she "always says the same things". It's unknown if it's related to Mom's mysophobia but they're a fairly affectionate couple. That explains the cheating joke and [[ADateWithRosiePalms "special bathroom privacy time"]] line.

* This is implied with the protagonist and Alisa in ''VideoGame/HarvestMoonTheTaleOfTwoTowns'' if they get married in. Alisa is a nun who has dedicated herself to the [[CrystalDragonJesus Harvest Goddess]] but can marry you. The two of you can't have children though.

%%* At the end of ''Anime/TurnAGundam'' this is how Loran and Dianna end up.
* Lucy and Stephen Steel of ''[[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure Steel Ball Run]]''. Given their [[OldManMarryingAChild respective ages]] and the circumstances behind their marriage, this is played less as a demonstration of a lack of romance between them, and more as an incredibly strong IntergenerationalFriendship.
* ''Manga/VampireGame'':
** Ashley admits to never having slept with Leene, presumably because of her love for Yuujel. [[spoiler: This has clearly changed by the epilogue, as they have a kid.]]
** A tragic case for Lady Ramia, whose husband refused to have anything to do with her due to [[KissingCousins their relationship]]. As a result, all three of their sons are adopted. [[spoiler:And Seileiz, the eldest, is TheUnfavorite for being the king's bastard son--seeing living evidence that her husband was perfectly willing to sleep with ''other'' woman has pissed Ramia off for decades.]]

* This is the reason [[CorruptCorporateExecutive Kusuhara's]] wife hires the eponymous girls of ''DNA Hunter'': they married strictly for business purposes, and she wants a [[TheBabyTrap child as security]] to avoid [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness being abandoned]].

* In the movie ''Film/{{Pleasantville}}'', it was revealed before the main characters arrived in town, sex was a concept no one could understand. When the mother was told teenagers were having sex, she had to be given a talk from her teenage daughter about what it was.

* One of the {{Spenser}} books subverts this. Quirk mentions to Spenser that after their kids moved out, he and his wife now sleep in separate rooms. Subverted in that though people who know about it think the marriage is in trouble, it's strictly for comfort reasons, and the marriage is actually stronger, as they now sleep together when they ''want'' to, rather than because they have to. This was actually TruthInTelevision for author Robert B. Parker, who lived on a different floor of his home with his wife, and was quoted as saying "I never want to sleep with my wife again, but I hope to continue making love to her for the rest of my life."

* In ''Manga/VampireGame'' Ashley admits to never having slept with Leene, presumably because of her love for Yuujel. [[spoiler: This has clearly changed by the epilogue, as they have a kid.]]

* This is implied with the protagonist and Alisa in ''VideoGame/HarvestMoonTheTaleOfTwoTowns'' if they get married in. Alisa has dedicated herself to the [[CrystalDragonJesus Harvest Goddess]] but can marry you. The two of you can't have children though.

Some really interesting cases of this trope can be found in Catholic Hagiology:
* Edward the Confessor had a sexless marriage based on mutual religious devotion with his queen Edith. She apparently had no problem with it but it led to a succession crisis that resulted in the Norman Conquest.
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* ''Series/TheHandmaidsTale'': While the Commanders aren't supposed to have sex with the Handmaids outside the Ceremony, it's unclear whether the same goes for their Wives. When Fred can't get an erection during one Ceremony, Serena Joy desperately offers to 'help him' via giving him a blowjob - which he rebuffs.

* ''Series/TheHandmaidsTale'': When Fred can't get an erection during one Ceremony, Serena desperately offers to 'help him' via giving him a blowjob - which he rebuffs.

* In ''Series/DrQuinnMedicineWoman'', Myra indicates to Horace that she's willing to settle for this, "Lots of marriages are just . . .friendship marriages.", if he can't get over his anxiety about making love to her (he's a virgin, she's a former ''prostitute''). He's so touched by her devotion that they end up finally consummating the marriage after all.