Question about being someone's first in Asia
Hi, all
I know that this question is relevant to the sex community, but I'm not sure if the cultural aspect of my question will be particularly relevant to the sub. I'm hoping that someone can offer some sound advice.
I (white male - reason for stating this later) have been working in a Southeast Asian country with a population of mostly ethnic Chinese. I've been loosely dating around since I moved here from the US. One girl I've been seeing (my age, mid 20s) is a virgin, and displays interest in a long-term relationship with me. But it's been on the table from the beginning that I'm not seeing her exclusively, and that I don't necessarily intend to see her long-term.
Today, we were making plans for another night this week, and a joke came up about visiting an hourly hotel. She's obviously mature enough to be familiar with these, and honestly, it was her who brought it up. But here's the issue:
Coming from the US, I'm very sexually open, and especially don't consider sleeping with someone to be a gesture of any kind with respect to my relationship with a person. So I'm totally down to sleep with her, but I know that she's a virgin, has very traditional Asian parents, and of course lives in a society where virginity is often considered a sign of purity approaching marriage.
I can say with somewhat certainty that I do not intend to marry this girl. What I'm worried about is her chances of a healthy marriage in her future. I don't want to taint that. We all know that such a concept is below western practice (for the most part), but I'm trying to be culturally aware and respectful here, for her sake especially. Now, I haven't brought this up specifically with her, but I'm expecting that she understands my worries, however disregarding them considering her wish for a future with me.
Let's me say that yes, I'm assuming that 1) she cares about retaining her virginity, and 2) she necessarily cares about whether I stay with her or not. But these things I will clarify on my own time with her.
What I'm asking specifically is this: Would it be irresponsible of me to take her virginity knowing that I do not currently intend to stay with her long-term? I believe that her faith in our future is disproportionately high, which might skew how she values her own virginity.
I understand that this doesn't really fit western thought, but please understand that I'm only trying to be respectful of the culture here, which she may not be allowing the weight it deserves. Granted, the expectation of a woman's virginity at marriage is a dying cultural trait, but a relevant one nonetheless.
Thanks in advance!
TL;DR: I'm considering sleeping with a Chinese virgin. I don't currently intend to stay with her. Is this irresponsible of me, considering the culture she belongs to?
Posted Aug 14, 2017, 6:56 PM UTC