If there’s one thing Haligonians love more than sex, it might well be talking about it. And just as Halloween means candy and a Nor’easter means a cupboard full of storm chips, Valentine’s Week in Halifax can only mean one thing: It’s time for the results of The Coast’s annual Sex + Dating Survey.
More than 1,200 of you wonderful people took the time to dish on all of your sexy secrets and relationship mishaps this year. Over half of those respondents were women, and nearly two in five were between the ages of 25 and 35. About a third have had somewhere between 11 and 30 sexual partners.
We’ve compiled a menagerie of our favourite replies below, from ménage-à-trois fantasies to bad breakups to hot hookups and everything in between. Follow the links below to jump right into the fun:
Who are you?
Have you ever…
Let’s talk about hotties…
Let’s talk about hook-ups…
Let’s talk about dating…
Let’s talk about sex…
Still looking for more? Here are some of the, uh, spicier stories we’ve assembled from your answers:
Coming attractions: What Halifax wants to try next in sex
Digital love: Halifax talks sex and dating in the age of the internet
Risking it all: What’s the most elaborate length you’ve gone for a hook-up?
Go ahead and confess a sexual secret you’ve never told anyone
What’s the most awkward time you’ve run into an ex?
Haligonians share the most cringe-worthy things they’ve said during sex
Haligonians spill the tea on their worst dates
Your definitive guide to a successful first date in Halifax
Who are you?
My gender identity is…
Woman - 54.4%
Man - 41.1%
Nonbinary - 6.6%
Transgender - 2%
None of the above - 0.7%
My sexual orientation is…
Straight/Heterosexual - 61.9%
Bi - 18.4%
Queer - 10.7%
Gay/Lesbian - 7.8%
I don’t like labels - 7.4%
Pansexual - 7.1%
Not sure right now/Questioning - 4.6%
Asexual - 4.1%
Other - 1.5%
My relationship status is…
Dating - 22.6%
Single-and-looking - 20.1%
Married - 20%
Common-law - 13.5%
Single-and-not-looking - 7.2%
Complicated - 4.3%
Divorced - 3.2%
Polyamorous/In a polycule - 3%
Separated - 2.2%
Open relationship - 2.2%
Serial monogamist - 1%
Open marriage - 0.7%
In my relationship(s) I am…
Happy - 56.7%
N/A - 29.5%
Lost - 5.9%
Restless and looking - 5.1%
Keen to end it - 1.5%
Cheating - 1.2%
My age is…
25-35 - 40.9%
36-45 - 21.1%
46-55 - 12.3%
18-24 - 10.8%
56-65 - 9.5%
66 and over - 5.4%
I first became sexually active…
Under 18 - 52.9%
18-24 - 41.4%
25-35 - 3.6%
Not yet - 1.5%
36-45 - 0.3%
56-65 - 0.2%
46-55 - 0.1%
66 and over - 0.1%
The number of partners I’ve been with is…
1-10 - 42.9%
11-30 - 32.1%
31-50 - 9%
51-100 - 6.5%
Who can remember? - 6.4%
Russell Brand-esque - 1.7%
0 - 1.4%
I live in…
Out of town - 21.4%
Dartmouth - 16.4%
North end - 14.4%
Clayton Park/Fairview - 10.2%
Quinpool/west end - 9.8%
South end - 9.5%
Downtown/Barrington/waterfront - 7.1%
Bedford - 6.7%
Cole Harbour/Eastern Shore - 4.6%
In the work world I am…
Employed full time - 66.1%
Retired - 9%
A student - 8%
A contract worker/freelancer - 7.5%
Employed part time - 6%
Unemployed - 3.6%
Politically I swing…
NDP - 38.5%
Liberal - 29.6%
A brick - 12.1%
Progressive Conservative - 6.2%
Green - 5.7%
Conservative Party - 3%
With Jesus - 2.9%
My chequebook - 1.9%
PPC - 0.3%
Have you ever…
Been on a blind date?
Yes - 27.3%
No - 72.7%
Been in a long-term relationship?
Yes - 92.2%
No - 7.8%
Been in love?
Yes - 93.7%
No - 6.3%
Cheated?
Yes - 40.5%
No - 59.5%
Been cheated on?
Yes - 55.5%
No - 44.5%
Had a one-night stand?
Yes - 74.6%
No - 25.4%
Had sex on the first date?
Yes - 68%
No - 32%
Had a pregnancy scare?
Yes - 54.8%
No - 45.2%
Picked up a bartender or server?
Yes - 13.4%
No - 86.6%
Hit on someone at work?
Yes - 53.4%
No - 46.6%
Dated someone from work?
Yes - 42%
No - 58%
Hit on someone at the gym?
Yes - 9.8%
No - 90.2%
Picked up someone at the gym?
Yes - 4.5%
No - 95.5%
Received oral sex?
Yes - 96.4%
No - 3.6%
Performed oral sex?
Yes - 96%
No - 4%
Received anal sex?
Yes - 43.2%
No - 56.8%
Performed anal sex?
Yes - 35.4%
No - 64.6%
Eaten ass?
Yes - 36.7%
No - 63.3%
Had your ass eaten?
Yes - 43.6%
No - 56.4%
Pegged?
Yes - 9.6%
No - 90.4%
Been pegged?
Yes - 8.2%
No - 91.8%
Had group sex?
Yes - 27%
No - 73%
Paid for sex?
Yes - 8.2%
No - 91.8%
Used toys in the bedroom?
Yes - 84.3%
No - 15.7%
Used a strap-on?
Yes - 14.2%
No - 85.8%
Let’s talk about hotties…
Where are Nova Scotia’s most attractive people?
Halifax - 56%
I don’t know where, but it’s definitely not here - 21.2%
Dartmouth - 9%
Annapolis Valley - 3.7%
Cape Breton - 3.5%
South Shore - 2.9%
Antigonish - 1.3%
Pictou - 1.1%
Eastern Shore - 0.9%
Truro - 0.5%
What’s the first thing you’re attracted to?
Personality - 36%
Looks - 28.4%
Sense of humour - 18%
Body - 10.7%
Other - 3.3%
Availability - 1.8%
Age - 1.1%
Job - 0.4%
Wealth - 0.3%
Let’s talk about hook-ups…
What’s your favourite way to meet potential lovers?
I won’t limit myself to a single method - 40.6%
Through my friends - 20%
Online - 18.3%
Through my hobbies/interests - 10.1%
At clubs or bars - 4.7%
At work/school - 4.1%
Other - 2.2%
(To the Coast reader who wrote “Your mom’s house”... real original. You’re ready for your stand-up comedy debut.)
Let’s talk about dating…
It’s best to ask someone out…
In person - 55.3%
By text - 30.5%
Calling on the phone - 6.7%
With a DM - 6.6%
Through a friend - 0.9%
How much older a person would you ask out?
Up to five years older - 29.2%
Up to 10 years older - 27.9%
Age ain’t nothing but a number, baby - 21.6%
Around my age - 15%
Has to be younger than me - 4.4%
Don’t ask, don’t tell - 1.9%
How much younger a person would you ask out?
Around my age - 30.4%
Up to five years younger - 25.9%
Up to 10 years younger - 17.3%
I respect the half-your-age-plus-seven rule - 12.7%
If Leonardo DiCaprio can do it, so can I - 9.2%
Has to be older than me - 4.5%
When dating someone new, how long before you go for a kiss?
I decide on a case-by-case basis - 42.7%
First date - 31.2%
Second date - 14.1%
I let the other person make the first move - 6.6%
Third date - 4.6%
Fourth date or later - 0.8%
Where do you most like to go on a first date?
To a cocktail bar/brewery - 29%
To a cafe - 26.9%
For a walk - 16.1%
For a meal at a restaurant - 12.3%
Somewhere we can be active together - 7.3%
Other - 2.9%
Sightseeing - 2.6%
To a movie - 1.5%
Home for dinner - 1.1%
To a play - 0.3%
What can your date do to impress you most?
Be curious about me - 71.5%
Other - 9.2%
Smell good - 6.2%
Dress up - 4.9%
Have sex with me - 3.3%
Flatter me - 2.6%
Pay for everything - 2.3%
What is the best topic to discuss on a first date?
Current events - 24.5%
Other - 23.9%
Professional life - 16.9%
Music - 14.3%
Movies - 7.1%
Sex - 2.9%
TV - 2.9%
Dating history - 2.6%
Politics - 2%
Sports - 1.2%
Social media - 1%
Religion - 0.3%
Videos - 0.3%
What’s the most common mistake made on dates?
Talking about oneself too much - 32.8%
Talking about exes - 20%
Being rude to waitstaff - 17.2%
Being inconsiderate - 14.1%
Being too forward - 7.3%
Other - 3.9%
Being miserly - 2.8%
Dressing poorly - 1.8%
Bringing a present - 0.2%
How many people have you dated at one time?
One only - 45.9%
Two - 29.3%
Three - 12.7%
I don’t keep track, it’s all kind of fluid - 7.8%
Four or more - 4.4%
At what point do you get exclusive with the person?
I take that one case-by-case - 77.1%
After we have sex - 10.4%
After three dates - 5%
I don’t get exclusive - 4.7%
After one date - 1.7%
After two dates - 1.2%
How long do you need to date someone before you know you’re in love?
Four dates or more, you need to get to know the other person - 86.6%
One date, it’s gotta be a lightning bolt - 6.8%
Three dates - 4.2%
Two dates - 2.5%
How long do you need to date someone before you know it’s not going to work out?
One date, I can tell right away - 38.6%
Four dates or more, sometimes it takes a while to figure out - 26.6%
Two dates - 23.6%
Three dates - 11.2%
What’s the most important part of a relationship?
Trust - 50.5%
Commitment - 15.3%
Intimacy - 13.7%
Compromise - 10.6%
Passion - 4.9%
Other - 4.7%
Money - 0.2%
Let’s talk about sex…
When dating someone, how long before you have sex?
I decide on a case-by-case basis - 69.8% (nice)
First date - 9.4%
Third date - 7.2%
Fourth date or later - 6.7%
Second date - 5.5%
I am saving myself for marriage - 1.3%
Historically my best sex has been with…
My longtime partner/lover - 47.4%
My fuck-buddy/friends with benefits - 26%
My ex - 12.9%
Other - 8%
Someone I met that night - 4.9%
A professional - 0.8%
Lights on or off?
On - 54.1%
Off - 45.9%
In the last year, have you had sex outdoors in Halifax?
No - 53.9%
I wish - 25.2%
Yes - 17.2%
I wouldn’t - 3.7%
Where’s the worst place to have sex outdoors in Halifax?
“Literally everywhere”
“Where you get caught!”
How kinky are Haligonians, on average?
They experiment a bit - 39.2%
They keep their kinks to themselves - 20.8%
They need to act on their kinks more - 14.9%
They experiment a lot - 10.5%
Not at all - 9.3%
This city is legend - 5.2%
How kinky are you?
I experiment a bit - 41.6%
I need to act on my kinks more - 23.6%
Not at all - 16.4%
I experiment a lot - 11.9%
I don’t act on my kinks - 4.7%
I am an internet celebrity thanks to my kinks - 1.8%
In the last year, have you engaged in bondage?
No - 55.6%
Yes - 24.4%
I wish - 16.8%
I wouldn’t - 3.2%
How satisfying is your current sex life?
Pretty hot, but there’s room for improvement - 27.9%
I’m not having sex at the moment - 25.1%
Needs some spice - 17.6%
The best ever - 11.3%
About average - 10.8%
Totally unsatisfying - 7.3%
How many times do you masturbate in a typical week?
3 - 19%
2 - 17.6%
1 - 16.8%
0 - 12.3%
4 - 11%
5 - 8.2%
My hands are too busy to count that high - 6.8%
7 - 6.5%
6 - 1.8%
How do you feel about dirty talk?
I’m into it - 47.4%
I’m open to it, depending on the mood - 26.8%
I never know what to say - 18.9%
I’m not into it - 6.9%
What inaccurate thing about sex did you believe was true for too long?
“That men want it more than women.”
“Cannot get herpes if there’s no sores present.”
“Monogamy.”
“Orgasming has to signify the end of sex.”
“Fetishes are best kept secret.”
“Self pleasure was wrong.”
“Thinking you have to look/present a certain way to engage in it.”
“That a blow job involves air and blowing.”
“Getting pregnant from a toilet seat.”
