Nearly Half Of All People Are Having Sex on the First Date, New Study Shows
If you're jumping into bed right away, you're not alone. Here's why the stigma is shifting.
Whether you’re on the quest for a long-term relationship, or just looking for a fling, new research shows that you’re not opposed to a little first-night nooky.
In a survey of 2,000 adults by sexual wellness brand Lovehoney, nearly half of all respondents have fessed up to getting it on on the first date. If you break it down by sex, 60 percent of men have jumped into bed straight away, versus only 42 percent of women.
And believe it or not, it’s not Gen Z that’s racing to the bedroom, it’s millennials — as the study found that people aged 24-55 are the most likely to do it right off the rip. While in the past, women typically preferred to wait, says the study, that and any other antiquated “dating rules” are seemingly now out the window.
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Fifty-three percent are doing it simply because they enjoy it, while 46 percent claim skipping romance and cutting right to the chase is a great way to test overall compatibility. Twenty-six percent of women asked say it’s a great way to connect more quickly on a deeper level, and 20 percent want to know if their potential partner will accept their sexual preferences and “kinks.”
And forget meditating — 16 percent simply say it’s a great way to relax and “calm” their nerves. Whether it’s calming those nerves or testing the sexual waters, the study found countless reasons to get jiggy on a first date. Lovehoney spoke to psychotherapist Rachel Wright, MA, LMFT for some clarity.
“For some people, having sex right away is incredibly helpful in determining if they want to go on a second date, and for others it feels entirely out of reach because they need to have established an emotional connection with the person before they can have sex,” explains Wright.
Conversely, the study also look at why people may not want to get down on the first date. It found that 47 percent just don’t feel comfortable engaging in coitus with a stranger, while 38 percent said they just “don’t believe in it.” Guess some old school values do still exist!
Thirty-two percent say they need that emotional connection first, while 17 percent are worried about sexually transmitted infections.
