Can Passing Gas Benefit Your Relationship?

This morning on Global TV's The Morning Show, Jess discussed the act of passing gas in relationships with Carolyn Mackenzie. Are there any benefits? And how long do most people wait to fart for the first time? Check out the video and Jess' notes below...

1. This survey included 125 people in their 20s and 30s and the researchers conclude that farting may be good for your relationship. How do young people really feel about farting in front of a significant other?

•  29% say it’s acceptable to start farting in front of your partner after dating for 2-6 months. (This may be when the sleepovers start — at which time passing gas seems inevitable. Who doesn’t play the butt-tuba in their sleep?)
• 25% say it’s acceptable to start farting in front of your partner after dating for 6-12 months.
• 22% say they only wait a few weeks.
• 7% they would never fart in front of a partner.
• Women are more likely to report that they wait for their partner to do it first.

2. Why do they conclude that passing gas is good for relationships?

• Aside from the gastrointestinal benefits (it’s not healthy to hold it in!), passing gas may be a sign that you’ve moved from the passionate stage of love (listen to my podcast on the science of passion here!) to the attachment stage which involves true commitment and companionship.
• Farting is funny! And sharing your sense of humour is just one way to connect with a partner.
• The drawback: if your partner interprets your farting as a sign that you’re no longer making an effort to impress them, it could backfire; it’s a matter of personal values and personal notions of what constitutes effort in a relationship.

3. What about other grooming/bodily habits?

• One online poll found that 53% of us use the bathroom with the door open.
• The same poll found that 92% brush their teeth in front of one another & 44% are willing to use the same toothbrush; only 3% share a toothbrush (they just have one).
• 47% report shaving parts on their partner’s body that they can’t reach.
• A Buzzed poll found that 70% of us pop our partner’s zits!

 4. And do we have data on other relationship milestones like when to say I love you for the first time?

Match.com conducted a survey of 2000+ adults which revealed the following “firsts":

• Weeks 1-2: Hold hands and have sex
• Month 1: Introduce them to your best friend
• Month 3: Use labels like “boyfriend”, “girlfriend”, “partner”
• Month 5: Say “I love you”
• Month 6: Introduce them to your parents