i’m interested in Exploring the benefits and challenges around the number of sexual partners.

I'll be a curious fly on the wall for this one. very interested in hearing what others' experiences are 👀

I think having more partners tends to lead to more exposure to different things etc and then you can form a better understanding of yourself and what you enjoy but that's dependent on who you meet. Some people find a partner who is happy to explore with them and work it out together, others can have multiple partners and still not build an understanding of what they enjoy cus the partners haven't been supportive maybe

Generally for me, more partners == 👍🏿👍🏿

Honest to god, my sexual curiosity and desire for novelty (and relative inexperience) became an ever bigger factor in the end of my marriage. Realising there were still so many places people and things I still wanted to try - and would be free to, were I to divorce - added extra weight to the case against staying.

Had I crossed off more of my sexual bucket list /before/ I'd been married, I wonder if that longing would have played a smaller part in the decision to end things.

Conversely, as my primary kink is female sexual confidence, any woman who just absolutely owns their shit is the hottest thing in the world to me. So were a woman to brag about the number of dudes she'd smashed her way through... 🤤🤤🤤🤤Not sure that's a view our delightful capitalist patriarchy is endorsing, mind

Whilst I didn't have the exact situation you did, I can relate to the feelings you had. Not being heard or agreed with when it comes to sexual desires can be very tough, especially when you open up in small pockets only to be shot down

Somehow, this approach didn't sate that appetite. I have now been in the world of poly/kink/swinging/parties for two years. I have discovered a great deal about myself and had what I consider several large scale revelations as a result. Much of it wholesome, but conversely also scary and saddening.

Being as open, honest and kind as one needs to be to make this stuff truly great has been something I have failed at repeatedly, but also regularly succeeded in. It feels like growth.

And what I think my love of sex comes from is acceptance. I have ADHD (not that I knew this when I was married sadly) so the outsiderdom is baked into me. A big group of lovely people who all accept each other, regardless of gender/race/blah blah is just the greatest form of acceptance one can feel. Now having a partner that I can express this and share this with has changed everything for me So, to have answered the original question in the longest way possible, what I have learned is that one may get hung up on numbers. Numbers of sexual partners, number of orgasms, number at one time etc. but nothing you can measure truly matters when it comes to sex. Measuring is science, sex is more like dancing or magic.

To answer the question given, I think for myself, with the number of partners I have had, I feel I have missed out on a lot of experiences over the years. Being in a place where I can now explore it will hopefully open my eyes to many different experiences. Similar to what Rob was saying, every long term relationship I have had has really hindered me. Even in my last one where my ex partner had more experience in kink, there wasn't much teaching or mutual respect for the things I wanted to try, it was very much her way. Now I am creating new dynamics and I'm being wanted for the things I wanted to do in my past relationship, the transition is hard (past scars) but I'm very happy for the new journey and how it will expand further

I find alot of women who are concerned or hold some sort of guilt for their body count always lead with this. Now in saying that I will also add that obviously not all men appreciate an experienced woman in that regard. A man has alot of experience and he's a stud...a woman of the same is often labeled the opposite. I believe that it's the confidence in yourself sexually that will gauge how you feel internally about this and whether or not you allow outside energies alter that in any way. I had alot of fun in my younger years and that doesn't make me look at it like the glass is half full. Far as I'm concerned I'm trading my glass in for a pitcher.

Are you happy with how your pitcher is being filled or do you sometimes feel like something is missing?

I feel like I have conditioned myself over the years not to look at it that way if that makes sense. I don't like to think somethings missing. I go in with the expectation that anyone would probably have a real difficult time experiencing absolutely everything there is to experience but damn it if I won't try.

Interested to see people's views on this. I think more partners gives more / varied experiences which can benefit future relationships, but at the same time you may develop different wants /needs / standards that could hinder as well.

Personally my experiences have been the former to a degree.

I'll throw my hat in.

I stopped variation/having lots of partners as I felt it was affecting my ability to grow/have a particularly deep connection with anyone.

Though that wasn't important to me at the time and kinda still isn't (I have a good set up on my own/didn't want to grow with anyone - was also able to easily enjoy a lot of variety and new people) I did think that this may not be what I wanted in 5 or 10 years + noticed that I was becoming a bit "set in my ways" (the patience and appetite for anything longer was dying). I stopped being promiscuous. Later, someone came along and I'm growing with them, now. The intimacy is deeper, too. It's nice because it's not a need but is happening quite naturally (whilst I still feel I easily can). Strangely, I don't miss the variation - which was something that I felt I naturally desired before.

If there are certain needs a partner can't meet it makes sense, from my point of view I think as long as it wasnt emotional in nature and you weren't depriving your partner of something it fits.

By that I mean if you were to cut your partner off from an aspect completely (eg sex) to be with others instead that would be a problem, but if it simply complements your life together (I suppose in your case the bisexual side of things) if anything it would help you both be happier.

I do find (as selfish as it may seem) that the more my needs are being met at a time the closer I am with my husband. In all aspects. We communicate better, have more fun together, are more intimate in all ways. It's always about balance.

All my life, I have been enjoying so much discovering new universes, sexually. I don't regret anything. Even traumatic events played a role in my learnings. As for my favourite experiences, I feel so grateful to exchange sexual and loving energy with beautiful partners. But I also feel, It was easy for me to be less aware of the magic of sex and disconnect from my own needs. Kind of like being present sexually for them, but not really knowing, enjoying or feeling my own sexualityI made a shift and I am on new process that feels new in a way. To prioritize mutual chemistry, slowness, deepness, transparency, natural open communication with any desires or situations. It is less partners atm, and I am enjoying also a lot. I am excited to the idea of forget about quantity (someone wrote it earlier here, thank you) and focus into celebrate sexuality when is a 'fuck yes' for the both, or more. And then just fall into its magic and power. Even if this honest sexual sharing/love/energy/lust is just for a single 'night', doesn't matter, if it feels right for everyone involved

I think the kind of sex that you have and the kind of partners you have can restrict/expand your sex life, much more than the number. I think any number more than,"You've been with one person your whole life." would probably be a fine number. I think between 6 and 100 has the same potential to have an expansive array of experiences.

I think it depends on your and your partner's willingness to communicate and to try new things. This doesn't often happen in situations where emotional intimacy is low or drugs (including alcohol) are involved. This willingness to connect and explore matters so much more than your "body count"