New relationships are the best.
You’re both on your best behavior, s/he says please and thank you, and…the thought of passing gas in front of one another is absolutely mortifying.
But, as time passes and we begin to become more comfortable with one another, the latter often changes. The once appalling thought of your wo/man farting in front of you might be replaced with a contest or at the very least a high-five.
And according to the results of a recent study, that’s probably ok.
For the study, Mic surveyed more than 125 people in their 20s and 30s about when they think it’s acceptable to be passing flatulence in front of their partner. Some said they let it fly right away, while others wait a year or more. Most people, it turns out, are most comfortable farting in front of their significant other between 2 to 6 months into their relationship.
Of those, 29% of people surveyed picked the 2 to the 6-month sweet spot (which coincidentally matches up with the ideal “I love you” period. Then, 25% said it takes a little longer, between 6 to 12 months, 22% said they’re ripping farts after just a few weeks. Only a handful (7%) of gastrointestinally uncomfortable people said they would never fart in front of their significant other.
It is interesting to note that many of those surveyed reported waiting for relationship milestones to begin openly passing gas, including 7% who prefer to secure the “I love you” before farting and 18.6% who wait for the other one to fart first. Perhaps the most compelling statistic — but not surprising — is that of the people who wait for the other person to fart, 73% are women.
Clinical therapist Robert Huizenga suggests that passing flatulence in front of your partner is a sign of stability in the relationship.
“Farting in front of your significant other means you feel free to move beyond your roles,” Huizenga wrote on his marriage blog. “You may even find yourselves discussing family roles and expectations that you bring to each other. You need not carry the burden of continually being prim and proper.”
What do you think? Is it acceptable to pass gas in front of your significant other? If so, does it make your relationship stronger?
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Don Patrick is an amateur writer and sports enthusiast. He loves reading books, listening to the Huberman Lab Podcast, and spending time with his family and friends. Don is also a personal trainer and youth hockey coach.
