Debate Magazine
From yesterday's Metro: So, women have only had 7.7 sexual partners on average but men 11.7? Surely in a population split roughly 50/50 for men and women, the average should be the same. Somebody's telling porkies, ladies.(1) Junk, London. From today's Metro: Junk, have you not considered that men are overestimating their sexual conquests rather than ladies telling fibs?(2) Roxanne, London Junk, I agree, women are just as promiscuous as men. I had friends at university with double digits of sexual partners. However, I'm 32 and have only had two sexual partners.(3) The laws of average don't apply to the whole nation.(4) Jo, Leicester. 1) I think that the mathematical average (mean) must be the same for both, but it is quite possible that the median values are 7.7 and 11.7. 2) Apparently women count it differently. If they have/had a partner (boyf or husband) with whom they have/had sex, that ticks both boxes "sexual" and "partner" so that counts. But a one-night stand is not a "partnership" so it doesn't count. Men miss this subtle distinction and count everybody. 3) Also, men boast and women are more modest/judgmental. As illustrated by this letter. 4) But the women is clearly an idiot anyway.
