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This is an exclusive study conducted by DatingAdvice.com, which surveyed respondents over the course of three weeks to reflect an accurate representation of the U.S. population.
conducted by DatingAdvice.com found 34 percent of Americans have had sex on a first date, and new follow-up research shows gay Americans appear to be the most accepting demographic of those who choose to do so.
Gay men and women were more than twice as likely to think it’s OK to have sex on a first date than straight respondents.
Men were also among the most likely groups to approve of first-date sex, with one out of two answering in the affirmative compared to only one in five women.
“Gay Americans were twice as likely to
think it’s OK to have sex on a first date.”
Single and divorced respondents were significantly more likely to be open to the concept than their married counterparts, with 40 percent approving of it versus just 31 percent of married respondents.
At 26 percent, men and women aged 65 and older were among the least likely groups to agree with having sexual encounters on a first date. Surprisingly, that number jumps to 41 percent for those just 10 years younger.
Low-wage earners were also unlikely to be comfortable with the idea. Those earning less than $25,000 a year had a 48 percent lower likelihood of thinking it’s OK to have first-date sex than those making between $100,000 and 125,000 annually.
The study surveyed 1,080 respondents over the course of three weeks, balancing responses by age, gender, income, race, sexuality and other factors in order to accurately represent the U.S. population. The study has a margin of error of +/- 2.8%.
The Breakdown: Americans Who Think It’s OK to Have Sex on the First Date
By gender:
- Male: 52%
- Female: 18%
By sexuality:
- Straight: 32%
- Gay: 66%
By marital status:
- Single, Never Married: 40%
- Married: 31%
- Divorced: 41%
By age:
- 18 to 24: 29%
- 25 to 34: 37%
- 35 to 44: 33%
- 45 to 54: 38%
- 54 to 64: 41%
- 65 and older: 26%
By race:
- White: 34%
- African-American: 36%
- Hispanic: 36%
- Asian: 34%
By income:
- Under $25,000: 31%
- $25,000 to $49,999: 32%
- $50,000 to $74,999: 38%
- $75,000 to $99,999: 36%
- $100,000 to $124,999: 46%
- $125,000 or higher: 35%
By region:
- Northeast: 37%
- Midwest: 32%
- South: 30%
- West: 40%
Visit DatingAdvice.com/Studies for more research on dating and relationship topics.
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