Infidelity: What's Behind Betrayal?
Imelda Robles
Monterrey, Mexico (July 23, 2025) - 5:00 a.m.
Images captured on the "kiss cam" of a Coldplay concert, which revealed an infidelity, went around the world with tens of millions of views.
For clinical and educational sexologist Karla Urriola, the case highlighted at the Coldplay concert, now known as "Coldplaygate," can be an opportunity for couples to reflect on the state of their relationship.
It is essential, he adds, to agree on what each person wants: to talk about emotional, sexual, communicational, and financial fidelity.
"There's nothing further from monogamy," Urriola believes, "because being in a relationship, any relationship, involves a lot of work, a lot of commitment where routine doesn't break it and where it's constantly renewing itself.
"The invitation is for us to sit down and talk about this scandal in our relationships, rather than polarizing it and offering moralistic opinions. Agreements are important for knowing what each person wants and where they're going."
Karla UrriolaClinical and educational sexologist
Last week, a kiss cam video from a Coldplay concert went viral after it captured a couple embracing, who then immediately ducked and tried to hide their faces.
Social psychologist Rafael Limones points out that this demonstrates a latent invasion of privacy, something that can happen to anyone these days. It's important to consider the damage that will affect not only the couple but also their children for life.
Before the incident with the Coldplay concert kiss cam, a wave of criticism toward actress Florinda Meza was already emerging on platforms like TikTok.
With the premiere of the series "Chespirito: Sin Querer Queriendo," it became clear that her relationship with Roberto Gómez Bolaños began when the actor, screenwriter, and producer was still married to his first wife.
And the trials have been mainly directed at her, not so much at the creator of "El Chavo del 8."
Experts say that what hasn't changed is that infidelity in a woman is more severely condemned than infidelity in a man.
Lorena Morales, a clinical psychologist and psychotherapist, explains that the need to be so attentive to the lives of others can be a form of distraction from one's own problems, and even a projection of insecurities and fears.
Furthermore, by becoming such a viral and highly discussed case, he adds, it allows people to have more impulsive and violent reactivity.
"It seems like we're more focused on the flaws of others, on canceling rather than building," says Morales, "on highlighting the ephemeral nature of relationships and the normality of infidelity, rather than on stories where we can trust in the goodness and love of a couple."
Now, the fear of being discovered in public stems from the potential for lynching, the psychologist explains, rather than from a sincere belief in the couple's commitment.
For psychotherapist María Mendiola, cases like the one uncovered at the Coldplay concert are very appealing to a society saturated by social media, which views cases of infidelity with great interest, but also with a high degree of insensitivity.
Psychotherapist
Infidelity is on the rise, but it's less tragic, sometimes even triggering an erotic outburst in couples, as a way of showing each other all the potential they have hidden, says Josefina Leroux, couples therapist and editorialist for EL NORTE.
Men continue to be more unfaithful, he shares, but more and more women are too.
"It has struck me that two decades ago, it was very difficult for a man to forgive, but now he does so more easily than women, at least in my clinical sample."
"Infidelity is more understandable to the extent that both the man and the woman have experienced it. That doesn't mean there aren't those who don't forgive it, those who are left devastated and depressed for a long time."
Josefina LerouxCouples therapist
Therapists agree that men tend to be unfaithful due to physical attraction and sexual desire, while women tend to be unfaithful for emotional reasons, such as feeling invisible or alone, although this is not a rule and can vary.
Morales, a clinical psychologist, comments that there is also less tolerance for frustration and sacrifice for others. Lifelong marriage and monogamy are now more questionable.
"Another factor is the fact that women have greater economic, professional, and emotional independence, and they can encourage a break from traditional standards of fidelity," she says.
For psychotherapist Mendiola, what's happening is that infidelity is more visible and easier to discover these days.
Furthermore, there are now new relationship models, not just monogamous ones. And this has broadened the meaning of infidelity, because a couple can reach an internal agreement.
"Before, we couldn't talk about open marriages or open couples, the concept wasn't even known; this is something relatively new," Mendiola points out.
Strictly speaking, infidelity, both before and now, is still considered a serious betrayal within a monogamous couple."
Psychologist Rafael Limones points out that young people today can access relationships solely for sexual experiences and reach agreements, although this also fills emotional voids they feel.
An open relationship is valid, he says, when it is based on dialogue and acceptance between both parties.
For sexologist Urriola, infidelity will increase if people don't understand that relationships are built on communicating each person's needs and establishing boundaries.
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