# How many sex partners is too many? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 20, 2014, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-sex-partners-is-too-many/684172 "2014-03-20T18:17:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2014, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-sex-partners-is-too-many/684172/21 "2014-03-20T20:03:48Z")
You forgot “1”. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2014, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-sex-partners-is-too-many/684172/22 "2014-03-20T20:07:07Z")
> [@StusBlues](#): > > I don’t keep track of my number, but I keep track of date when I was with each primary partner. When I’m trying to remember when I did something, I can usually do so by remembering which girlfriend I was with at the time, which gives me a pretty good date range. My friends and family, most of whom got married right out of college, think this is funny. …which I guess means they think I’ve had too many sex partners. See, Ethel, it WAS relevant! ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2014, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-sex-partners-is-too-many/684172/23 "2014-03-20T20:08:25Z")
> [@Melchior](#): > > 600 times with one person, or one time with 600 partners. > > How is it different? Vectors for disease. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2014, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-sex-partners-is-too-many/684172/24 "2014-03-20T20:10:57Z")
Nothing good ever comes from that conversation. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2014, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-sex-partners-is-too-many/684172/25 "2014-03-20T20:16:46Z")
> [@Antinor01](#): > > My personal count is far higher than any of these :dubious: You don’t say. This would make a great consecutive thread with my upcoming threads “Is my 12 inch penis too big?” and “Help! 3 supermodels are fighting over me!” 😃 > [@pulykamell](#): > > Do people normally have a running tally in their heads? I make a notch on the hilt of my Bowie knife. The answer depends on the responder of course, and there can be a huge gradient between slut shaming and saying no number is too high. But a crucial missing variable is age: an answer of 10 would have very different connotations at 16 vs. 56. Obligatory: [TISM - Everyone Else Has Had More Sex Than Me](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwNVE37BGVE) ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2014, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-sex-partners-is-too-many/684172/26 "2014-03-20T20:21:53Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > :dubious: You don’t say. This would make a great consecutive thread with my upcoming threads “Is my 12 inch penis too big?” and “Help! 3 supermodels are fighting over me!” 😃 That wasn’t bragging at all. Mostly just mentioned it so this didn’t come across as any judgement. Plus it’s easier when you’re gay…men are just easy. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2014, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-sex-partners-is-too-many/684172/27 "2014-03-20T20:33:18Z")
I don’t get why adult males feel the need to lie about their number being higher than it really is. I’ve seen it here on this board a number of times: “Oh, my numbers is in the hundreeds” (As in 200+) First off, no you haven’t slept with that many women you douche. Secondly, do you really think women hear that number and think to themselves “OMG! I gotta get with that guy, he’s so studly with his high number.”? They do not and us other guys know you are full of shit., High numbers are nothing to brag about and if you lie about a high number it just makes you look pathetic. ---
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2014, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-sex-partners-is-too-many/684172/28 "2014-03-20T20:41:13Z")
I’m only concerned with the number my wife has had since we met. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2014, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-sex-partners-is-too-many/684172/29 "2014-03-20T20:43:37Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > I make a notch on the hilt of my Bowie knife. With what, your other Bowie knife? ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2014, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-sex-partners-is-too-many/684172/30 "2014-03-20T20:45:53Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > I don’t get why adult males feel the need to lie about their number being higher than it really is. I’ve seen it here on this board a number of times: “Oh, my numbers is in the hundreeds” (As in 200+) > First off, no you haven’t slept with that many women you douche. > > Secondly, do you really think women hear that number and think to themselves “OMG! I gotta get with that guy, he’s so studly with his high number.”? > > They do not and us other guys know you are full of shit., > > High numbers are nothing to brag about and if you lie about a high number it just makes you look pathetic. I, uh, am wondering how you are so sure that people are lying and who you are calling a “douche”. 😕 As another guy, I don’t automatically think “liar” when somebody gives a large number. I’m more likely to think “gay?”, but not “liar”\*. And with **Antinor01** , looks like my first guess was correct. 😉 \*Unless I’m the one claiming a number in the hundreds. Feel free to call me a liar if I say that. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2014, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-sex-partners-is-too-many/684172/31 "2014-03-20T22:46:57Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > I don’t get why adult males feel the need to lie about their number being higher than it really is. I’ve seen it here on this board a number of times: “Oh, my numbers is in the hundreeds” (As in 200+) Didn’t someone do the math on Wilt Chamberlain? Basically that it would’ve been difficult to get normal life done each day with all the sex breaks. > [@](#): > > High numbers are nothing to brag about and if you lie about a high number it just makes you look pathetic. Some people complain about double standards, like lots of sex as a woman = slut, lots of sex as a man = the boss. But I don’t think a good portion of guys look up to him. They might envy him in some way, but also hate him for various reasons. In more understandable terms, he’s screwed if another guy gets the blue shell. 🙂 > [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > With what, your other Bowie knife? David Bowie’s chiseled face. ---
**Author:** ![nevadaexile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb8c5e/32.png) [@nevadaexile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nevadaexile)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2014, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-sex-partners-is-too-many/684172/32 "2014-03-20T22:48:28Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Do people normally have a running tally in their heads? It’s not like my number is big or anything, but, given my memory, I wouldn’t bet the house I got the EXACT number right. Oral doesn’t count. ---
**Author:** ![nevadaexile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb8c5e/32.png) [@nevadaexile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nevadaexile)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2014, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-sex-partners-is-too-many/684172/33 "2014-03-20T22:50:19Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > The number is easy. The names are another thing. You’re a man. No one expects you to remember names. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2014, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-sex-partners-is-too-many/684172/34 "2014-03-20T22:50:59Z")
The poll really needed to mention sexual orientation. Before November, 1987 . . . many. Since November, 1987 . . . 1. Though “many” is a high number by straight people’s standards, it’s actually low for an urban gay man my age. Especially someone who was sexually active in the 1970s. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2014, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-sex-partners-is-too-many/684172/35 "2014-03-20T22:54:31Z")
> [@nevadaexile](#): > > Oral doesn’t count. Sez who? If that’s the case, I’m damn close to being a virgin. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2014, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-sex-partners-is-too-many/684172/36 "2014-03-20T22:59:08Z")
> [@nevadaexile](#): > > You’re a man. > No one expects you to remember names. > 🙂 Hey, I remember the important ones. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2014, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-sex-partners-is-too-many/684172/37 "2014-03-20T23:06:04Z")
At the same time? In my experience, more than two and someone starts feeling left out. Lifetime? I put ‘Don’t care’. At this point I’m highly unlikely to break any records anyway. ---
**Author:** ![rsat3acr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@rsat3acr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsat3acr)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2014, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-sex-partners-is-too-many/684172/38 "2014-03-20T23:19:32Z")
> [@nevadaexile](#): > > Oral doesn’t count. That’s what Clinton thought.😃 I’d argue that it does count. My wife would think it counted if someone was giving me oral and I’d sure think the same of her. ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2014, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-sex-partners-is-too-many/684172/39 "2014-03-20T23:27:57Z")
Is this poll meant to insult those who haven’t slept with at least 100 partners? ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2014, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-sex-partners-is-too-many/684172/40 "2014-03-20T23:45:23Z")
> [@the\_diego](#): > > Is this poll meant to insult those who haven’t slept with at least 100 partners? I think I was pretty clear that I’m wondering what people’s opinions are. Lots of people think differently from me, so I like to learn about other peoples thought processes. If you have one, please feel free to share it. For example, I know that my brother would say 2 was too many since he believes that you shouldn’t have sex before marriage and only with your spouse after. With the possible exception of remarriage after your spouse dies. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-sex-partners-is-too-many/684172.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-sex-partners-is-too-many/684172.md?page=3)