953 people completed this year’s Sex and Dating Survey online, motivated only by promises of complete anonymity and kinky catharsis. In the world of polling, that’s what they’d call a huge sample size. The typical Haligonian opinion poll gets information from about 350 people, and is considered 95% accurate 19 times out of 20. If the Sex and Dating Survey was all science-y and random (which it definitely is NOT) we could say such a large sample size means the results are 99% accurate, 24 times out of 25. But we can say with complete confidence that it’s a revealing look at the hearts, minds and groins of Haligonians, which is all it’s supposed to be. As such, we tended to round numbers and percentages to make them simpler to understand. ♡
[ Jump to: Meeting | Dating | Would You... | Have you... | Sex ]
Describe yourself
My gender is…
female 58%
male 40%
transgendered 1%
genderqueer 1%
My sexual orientation is…
straight 72%
bi 10%
lesbian or gay 7%
bi-curious/tri-sexual 6%
polyamorous 2%
not sure right now 1%
pansexual 1%
asexual or heteroflexible 1%
My relationship status is…
married or common-law 29%
single and looking 24%
serial monogamist 18%
single and not looking 12%
in a relationship 6%
open relationship 4%
separated or divorced 3%
polyamorous 2%
it's complicated 2%
In the past year I'm…
still in the same relationship 44%
still single 20%
out of a relationship 15%
in a new relationship 12%
out of one relationship and into another 8%
And I’m __________ about that.
happy 62%
indifferent 14%
trying not to think 11%
resigned 8%
sad 6%
I am having ___________ sex.
nowhere near enough 31%
almost enough 25%
the perfect amount of 22%
Sorry, having what? 13%
No such thing as too much sex, friend. Are you busy later? 9%
too much 1%
My age is… ♡
18-24 37%
25-35 43%
36-45 12%
46-over 8%
The number of partners I’ve been with in my life is…
11-30 27%
2-5 26%
6-10 24%
1 10% ♡
31-100 9%
101 and up 2%
who can remember? 2%
In the past year, the number of partners I’ve been with is…
1 52% ♡
2-5 39%
6-11 8%
12-23 1%
24-51 1% ♡
That’s ___________ as the year before.
the same 52%
up 28%
down 20%
I live in…
north end 16%
Quinpool/west end 15%
south end 13%
Dartmouth 12%
out of town in Nova Scotia 11%
Clayton Park/Fairview 11%
Bedford 5%
out of town in the rest of Canada 5%
downtown/Barrington/waterfront 5%
Cole Harbour/Eastern Shore 4%
out of the country 2%
In the work world, I am a…
fully employed citizen 32%
student 29%
professional type 24%
part-timer 5%
member of the unemployed 4%
contract worker 3%
artist and/or self-employed 2%
entrepreneur 1%
My political views are closest to the following leader whose time as a human inspiration is sadly over
Jack Layton (NDP) 39%
Justin Trudeau’s father (Liberal) 24%
Mahatma Gandhi (Occupy movement) 14%
Silent Spring author Rachel Carson (Green) 10%
Sir John A. Macdonald (Progressive Conservative) 6%
Jesus/Buddha/Allah (my house of worship is my co-pilot) 5%
Stephen Harper (Conservative Reform Alliance Party) 2%
Meeting
What's the best way to meet people?
Through my friends 37%
Through my hobbies/interests 26%
At my work or school 17%
Through the internet 9%
At clubs or bars 5%
all of the above 1%
I wish I knew 2%
Other / misc. 2%
Which is the most appealing Haligonian type for you?
Any student body 15% ♡
North end hipsters 13%
Art school students 12%
Suits 11%
Comic and fantasy nerds 10%
Medical students 8%
Gamers 6%
Surfers 5%
Eco-friendly vegans 3%
Jocks 3%
Musicians 2%
All of the above 2%
Other / misc. 10% ♡
Which is least appealing?
Jocks 21%
Eco-friendly vegans 18%
North end hipsters 17%
Comic and fantasy nerds 14%
Gamers 10%
Suits 7%
Art school students 2%
Medical students 2%
Any student body 2%
Surfers 1%
Other / misc. 5% ♡
Are Haligonians more attractive than the average Canadian? ♡
Halifax = average 44%
We're a bit hotter 26%
We're way hotter 18%
We aren't as hot 10%
We broke Canada's mirror 3%
What is the main thing that would make Haligonians more attractive?
Better attitude 35%
Better style 16%
More confidence 13%
Less booze 9%
Better bod 9%
More money 6%
More booze 5%
Better hair 2%
Plastic surgery 1%
Other / misc. 4% ♡
It's best to ask someone out...
in person 82%
by text 8%
online 4%
on the phone 4%
through a friend 1%
Other / misc. 2%
Is Halifax a good city to be single in?
Yes 62% ♡
No 38% ♡
Dating
Have you ever been on a blind date?
No 66%
Yes 34%
When it comes to dating, are you usually the asker or the askee?
Askee, good things come to those who wait 51%
Asker, I wait for no one 49%
How much older a person would you ask out?
Up to 10 years older 40%
Up to 5 years older 34%
Around my age 10%
Don't ask, don't tell 10%
The older the better 4%
Has to be younger than me 2%
How much younger a person would you ask out?
Around my age 38%
Up to 5 years younger 22%
I respect the "half your age plus seven" rule 12%
Up to 10 years younger 11%
Has to be older than me 9%
Rules were made to be broken 8%
Where do you like to go on a first date?
Out for a casual drink 36%
A cafe 22%
Dinner at a restaurant 14%
For a walk 12%
Somewhere we can be active together 7%
Dinner at home 3%
To a movie 3%
To a play 2%
live music 0%
Other / misc. 3% ♡
What's the best thing your date can do to impress you?
Be curious about me 55% ♡
Dress up 10%
Smell good 9%
Show up 6%
Have sex with me 5%
Flatter me 4%
Pay for everything 3%
Make great conversation 5%
Be real 2%
Other / misc. 2% ♡
What's the best topic to discuss on a first date?
Common interests 60%
Travel history 10%
Music 8%
TV and/or movies 6%
Current events 5%
Sex 3%
Professional life 3%
Politics 1%
Dating history 1%
All of the above 1%
Other / misc. 2% ♡
What's the most common mistake made on dates?
Being inconsiderate 22%
Trying too hard 22%
Talking about exes 25%
Talking about yourself too much 17%
Being too forward 6%
Being cheap 5%
Dressing poorly 3%
Other / misc. 1% ♡
What is the biggest dealbreaker for getting into a relationship?
Intelligence or lack thereof 32%
No sense of humour 23%
Body odour 13%
No common interests 12%
Bad kissing 5%
Bad sex 5%
Lack of education 4%
Cultural divides 2%
Eating habits 1%
Other / misc. 3% ♡
At what point do you get exclusive with someone new?
I take that one case-by-case 81%
After we have sex 9%
After three dates 4%
I don't get exclusive 3%
After one date 1%
After two dates 1%
How many people have you dated at one time?
One only 48%
Two 32%
Three 14%
Four or more 4%
I don't keep track, it's all kind of fluid 2%
How long do you need to date someone before you know it's not going to work out?
Four of more, sometimes it takes a while to figure out 31%
Two dates 27%
One date, I can tell right away 24%
Three dates 17%
Would you rather…
Lose the whole NHL season because of the hockey strike, or have hockey but give up sex for the season?
Fuck the fuck, I just want the puck 3%
Screw hockey, I'll take the sex 97%
Have sex with Justin Bieber, or listen to his music while you're gettin' busy with someone else?
Give me Bieber in the flesh 11%
Press play 89%
Walk in on your roommates while they're having sex, or have them walk in on you?
I walk in on them 56%
They walk in on me 44%
Walk in on your parents while they're having sex, or have them walk in on you?
I walk in on them 36%
They walk in on me 64%
Be a swinging single for the rest of your life, or be committed to just one person?
For better or for worse, one is enough 80%
There are plenty of fish in the sea, and I want to know them all 20%
Have great sex with someone you can't stand, or bad sex with someone you love?
Bad sex 51%
Great sex 49%
Have your partner cheat on you, or you cheat on your partner?
I am the cheater 52%
I get cheated on 48%
Have your partner cheat on you physically, or emotionally?
Emotionally, get your hands off my boo 31%
Physically, as long as feelings aren't involved 69%
Tell your partner they need to hit the gym more often, or tell your partner you want to have a three-way with them and someone else?
Gym 41%
Three-way 59%
Call that itching, burning feeling a sexually transmitted disease or a sexually transmitted infection?
STD 44%
STI 56%
Have sex with brand-new Halifax mayor Mike Savage, or boy-wonder Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi?
Mike Savage 30%
Naheed Nenshi 70%
Have sex with Halifax's disgraced former mayor Peter Kelly, or Toronto's embattled mayor Rob Ford? ♡
Peter Kelly 69%
Rob Ford 31%
Have sex with Barack Obama or Michelle Obama?
Barack 51%
Michelle—those arms are irresistible 49%
No 79%
Yes 21%
Used video chat like iPhone's FaceTime for more than facetime?
No 68%
Yes 32%
Had a one-night stand?
No 30%
Yes 70% ♡
Had sex on a first date?
No 41%
Yes 59% ♡
Had sex without knowing your partner's full name?
No 43%
Yes 57%
Used a sex toy with a partner?
No 34%
Yes 66%
Had an HIV/AIDS test? ♡
No 57%
Yes 43%
Had a sexually transmitted infection?
No 83%
Yes 17%
Considered doing the food delivery driver/plumber/door-to-door seller/etc? ♡
No 78%
Yes 22%
Done the food delivery driver/plumber/door-to-door seller/etc?
No 97%
Yes 3%
Hooked up with someone double your age?
No 83%
Yes 17%
Dated someone who works in a uniform (cop, firefighter, David Petraeus, etc)?
No 77%
Yes 23%
Dated someone in uniform just for the uniform? ♡
No 96%
Yes 4%
Dated a co-worker? ♡
No 50%
Yes 50%
Had sex with a co-worker (includes your biographer, if applicable)?
No 48%
Yes 52%
Had sex at your workplace?
No 71%
Yes 29%
Had sex with a co-worker where you both work?
No 81%
Yes 19%
Experimented with cos play?
No 87%
Yes 13%
Improved your love life thanks to advice from Dan Savage?
♡
No 73%
Yes 27%
Read any of the 50 Shades of Grey series?
No 78%
Yes 22%
Improved your love life thanks to 50 Shades? ♡
No 94%
Yes 6%
I like having my asshole _________ during sex. ♡
avoided entirely 47%
touched 30%
penetrated 15%
licked 9%
I __________ eating pussy. ♡
love 34%
have never tried 27%
never want to encounter 15%
like 14%
am indifferent to 7%
am turned off by 3%
I ___________ a dick in my mouth. ♡
love 27%
never want to encounter 25%
like 23%
am indifferent to 11%
have never tried 7%
am turned off by 6%
In the past year, I’ve been involved with the sex industry as a __________. (select all that apply)
free porn watcher 68%
conscientious objector, not involved at all 14%
strip club customer 9%
buyer of porn 5%
sex toy buyer 1%
client of a sex worker 1%
sexual spa/massage customer 1%
sex worker 1%
Other / misc. 1% ♡
Did Movember affect your love life?
No. Mehvember, Movember, whatever. 80%
Hells yeah, everyone likes moustache riding 10%
Yes, dammit, nobody is into face-pubes 10%
When do you carry a condom?
Never 44%
When sex is definitely on the menu 27%
Always 14%
When I'm heading out for a night on the town 7% ♡
When I'm going on a date 5%
I’ve got them at home where I need them 2%
Not applicable to my situation 1%
When do you use a condom?
Sometimes 43% ♡
Always 35%
Never 17% ♡
With new partners 2% ♡
Not applicable to my situation 2% ♡
Almost always 1%
Historically, my best sex has been with…
my monogamous partner/lover 57%
my fuck-buddy/friend-with-benefits 24%
my ex 11%
someone I met that night 5%
a professional 1%
Other / misc. 2% ♡
In the past year, have you had sex in public in Halifax? ♡
No 46%
I wish 33%
Yes 17%
I wouldn't 3%
Where’s the best place to have sex in public in Halifax?
View Best places for public sex in Halifax in a larger map
In the past year, have you used pornography with a partner?
No 53%
Yes 34%
I wish 10%
I wouldn't 3%
In the past year, have you made pornography with a partner?
No 63%
Yes 17%
I wish 12%
I wouldn't 8%
What’s the next kinky thing you want to try?
Here are the top 5 answers in text:
threesome 22% ♡
bondage 11%
anal 8%
public sex 7%
toys 5%
ropes 5%
sub/Dom 5%
For all the answers, check out the accompanying graphic word clouds by Wordle. And be advised that size definitely matters here: The bigger the word, the more popular that kink is.
How satisfying is your current sex life?
Pretty hot, but there's room for improvement 32%
I'm not having sex at the moment 23%
The best ever 15%
Needs some spice 14%
About average 11%
Totally unsatisfying 5%
How many times do you have sex in a typical week?
3 21%
1 20%
2 19%
4 15%
5 13%
More than 7. You jealous? 6%
6 5%
7 2%
How make times do you masturbate in a typical week? ♡
3 20%
2 19%
1 16%
4 12%
5 11%
My hands are too busy to count that high 9%
7 8% ♡
6 4%
Who is the most do-able Haligonian?
The top 10 answers are:
Matt Mays, riding his Coyote
Megan Leslie, Halifax’s member
Maria Panopalis, making it big
Kate Leth, Kate or Die comics
Rich Aucoin, pulling the ripcord
Fat Apollo, Coast cover cupid
Crepe Boy, batter up
Andria Wilson, OUTeast film fest
Joel Plaskett, Halifax’s rock star
Stewart Legere, enter stage right
