# Why are people uncomfortable with the thought of their parents having sex? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 25, 2009, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-people-uncomfortable-with-the-thought-of-their-parents-having-sex/511499 "2009-09-25T09:41:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![gwendee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@gwendee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gwendee)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2009, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-people-uncomfortable-with-the-thought-of-their-parents-having-sex/511499/21 "2009-09-25T18:45:59Z")
I never really thought of my own parents having sex because my dad was gone long before I had any idea what sex was. My mental response to the thread title was that the thought of your own parents having sex might trigger the recognition that your parents are sexually attractive, and even if it’s just to eachother. I had no contact with my dad from the age of 6 until I was nearly 30. My mom got rid of all photographic evidence of him but when his parents died a few years ago I got a box of photos. They were in no discernable order so in the middle of my grandparents’ wedding there was a picture of a smoking hot guy in jeans and a white t-shirt. I flipped it over and it was marked “Dad’s Name - 1962” I’ll admit to feeling a little creepy thinking my own dad was hot. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2009, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-people-uncomfortable-with-the-thought-of-their-parents-having-sex/511499/22 "2009-09-25T19:28:11Z")
I think my father was quite handsome and my mom looked pretty good when she was young too. It’s understandable they had sex those two times. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2009, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-people-uncomfortable-with-the-thought-of-their-parents-having-sex/511499/23 "2009-09-25T19:35:55Z")
> [@gwendee](#): > > I had no contact with my dad from the age of 6 until I was nearly 30. My mom got rid of all photographic evidence of him but when his parents died a few years ago I got a box of photos. They were in no discernable order so in the middle of my grandparents’ wedding there was a picture of a smoking hot guy in jeans and a white t-shirt. I flipped it over and it was marked “Dad’s Name - 1962” I’ll admit to feeling a little creepy thinking my own dad was hot. Agreed - it took me a while to figure out why I didn’t find Sean Connery as James Bond attractive. Then I realized that in those films, he looked a lot like my dad. (I didn’t start watching those seriously until after my dad’s death during my college years.) I prompted my sister on this too, and she agreed - not attracted for an inexplicable reason, didn’t figure out why until prompted. Frankly, I really don’t want to hear or think about **anyone** that I know having sex, thanks. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2009, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-people-uncomfortable-with-the-thought-of-their-parents-having-sex/511499/24 "2009-09-25T20:08:37Z")
> [@fubbleskag](#): > > I was never bothered by the idea until I accidentally witnessed it in high school. Pray do tell!😃 And in anycase, I think with parents its more disturbing, you can rationalise others having sex even if you don’t want to know, but your parents… ---
**Author:** ![Never\_Say\_Dice](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ee59a6/32.png) [@Never\_Say\_Dice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Never_Say_Dice)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2009, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-people-uncomfortable-with-the-thought-of-their-parents-having-sex/511499/25 "2009-09-25T20:13:22Z")
I’m uncomfortable with the idea that my parents never had sex, but there it is. I’m a test tuber. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2009, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-people-uncomfortable-with-the-thought-of-their-parents-having-sex/511499/26 "2009-09-25T20:46:58Z")
I’m not sure if it has significance to the topic, but parental sex can produce Competition. Nobody likes competition. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2009, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-people-uncomfortable-with-the-thought-of-their-parents-having-sex/511499/27 "2009-09-25T20:58:55Z")
It’s also true most parents can’t quite get their head around their children having sex. I think way down inside, each generation believes it’s the one that invented sex. I had a girlfriend who said she had no problems thinking of her mother having sex. Her parents divorced when she was about ten, then when when she was fourteen, and knew which way was up, mom was courted by and fell in love with a guy to marry him after about two years. So she witnessed in her mum pretty much the same things she herself was going through, rather than seeing her as half of an established couple. ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2009, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-people-uncomfortable-with-the-thought-of-their-parents-having-sex/511499/28 "2009-09-25T21:05:04Z")
> [@SHAKES](#): > > Seriously, I could go my whole life with out knowing if my Mom is a three input woman or not. She is, as it happens. ---
**Author:** ![janeslogin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@janeslogin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janeslogin)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2009, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-people-uncomfortable-with-the-thought-of-their-parents-having-sex/511499/29 "2009-09-26T16:17:14Z")
> [@](#): > > Why are people uncomfortable with the thought of their parents having sex? Why are people uncomfortable with many things? Similar thread about nude beaches recently - why uncomfortable with nudity. A recent ABC segment on persons uncomfortable with gays kissing - why? Why uncomfortable with the appearance of _others_ in public - seniors at breakfast were uncomfortable with the sight of thong on a peer bending over at WalMart. Why? ---
**Author:** ![Serenata67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/serenata67/32/10646_2.png) [@Serenata67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serenata67)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2009, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-people-uncomfortable-with-the-thought-of-their-parents-having-sex/511499/30 "2009-09-27T04:35:35Z")
I’m not uncomfortable with my parents having sex now that I’m a grown adult, but I’ll admit I was when I was younger. What makes it worse, my parents would play Strip Yahtzee. Once my brother walked in on it… and told the rest of us. It took a long time for me to be able to listen to dice cups shaking dice without cringing. ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2009, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-people-uncomfortable-with-the-thought-of-their-parents-having-sex/511499/31 "2009-09-27T12:40:22Z")
OK, for starters, they’re dead. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2009, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-people-uncomfortable-with-the-thought-of-their-parents-having-sex/511499/32 "2009-09-30T03:07:38Z")
I’ve never really understood why people are squicked out about it. Unless you’re adopted or came into the world due to the wonders of reproductive medical intervention, after all, you wouldn’t be here if they hadn’t had sex. My parents were always discreet, but there were times when I was aware of why their bedroom door was locked at certain times. :: shrug :: No biggie. That’s life. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-people-uncomfortable-with-the-thought-of-their-parents-having-sex/511499.md?page=1)