At some point in every romantic relationship, the dreaded question is asked, “So… how many people have you slept with?” If you’ve really explored your sexuality (with multiple partners) like I have, the reaction to that question takes a little piece of your soul every time. But why should I be slut-shamed for my past experiences? Why does your partner have to know? Is it better to avoid the question? To blatantly refuse to answer? Or share, and hope that it won’t discourage them from moving forward?

You can’t help but be curious about your partner’s past relationships, sexual experiences, or life experiences in general – but is full disclosure the best way to share and communicate in any and all romantic relationships? Or will it come back to bite you in the ass when your past endeavors leave your partner feeling insecure?

Weighing Your Options

There are definitely pros and cons to each… you may even have to determine if it’s the right choice based on how understanding and accepting your partner is. Is it even worth the hassle? Is honesty always the best policy? Or are some things better left unsaid because they’re in the past?

Pros & Cons

For every pro of having a full disclosure relationship, there is inevitably a con to follow. But it is how you and your partner respond to the information that determines whether your relationship is worth accepting each other’s past ways or whether the information is too much to handle.

My Personal Experience

I have encountered this battle of full disclosure in relationships multiple times, but it has never been as prevalent or created as many problems than it has in my current relationship. Once I told my partner how many people I’d slept with during college, and how my count has nearly tripled since our last encounter, things began to change. Walls went up. Each time we grew closer, the fact that I had “given myself” to so many others really bothered him. This went on for quite a few months until I disclosed any and all details so he could stop imagining what could have happened instead of my true experience. Once everything was laid out on the table, we realized that our pasts have made us into who we are now. What we like and what we don’t like have been established and we know exactly what we want in a partner.

Overall

The answer really varies depending on your relationship, and what you and your partner both feel comfortable with. Full disclosure can be a bitch at first, but when you’re with the right person, you’ll reach a point where you’re able to overcome each other’s pasts, become stronger as a couple, and build trust. Other times, it causes you to realize who isn’t strong enough to be your partner. If you’re not ready to open up to someone who has a questionable past, and they’re not ready to accept you in your full experience, that might end up being toxic to your future. Or perhaps you and your partner simply don’t care to know, and what they don’t know won’t hurt them. It’s up to you both to determine what’s best for your relationship, and for you!