

I was told to wait three dates-or better, five, or even better, eight-before having sex with a man. Growing up, I had received similar advice from television shows, magazines, and even other women. Many women jumped to answer her question, advising her to wait anywhere from three dates to “as long as you can.” These answers are not unfamiliar to me.

A woman who was talking to a man she met online posed this question to the group of fellow women: Even though she was extremely sexually attracted to him, should she abstain from having sex with him in order to show that she’s worthy of being his girlfriend, or perhaps even his wife one day? What exactly makes a woman “wife material”-someone who is worthy of a man’s lifelong love and commitment? This topic recently came up in a Facebook group of which I’m a member.
