Sexual Encounters: The Very First Time

Can your first sexual experience happen without ever physically touching another person? In Digital Firsts, we explores how technology is reshaping sex, intimacy, relationships and even what we mean by a “first time.” MaryJane is joined by Dr. Markie Twist and Dr. Neil McArthur, the scholars who introduced the concept of digisexuality, to unpack the increasingly blurred lines between human sexuality and technology. From sexting, online pornography and video intimacy to virtual reality, AI companions and human-like sex robots, we ask: When does a digital sexual experience become significant enough to count as a first? Can intimacy with an AI feel emotionally real? Can a relationship with an AI companion constitute cheating? And could technology become not just a tool for sexual connection, but an important part of someone’s sexual identity? The conversation also explores digital consent and vulnerability, relationship boundaries, stigma surrounding digital relationships, and what emotionally responsive AI could mean for future generations growing up with technology as a companion rather than simply a tool. As intimacy becomes increasingly digital, perhaps the bigger question isn’t whether these experiences are “real”, but who gets to decide what counts as intimacy in the first place?

What really counts as cheating, and what happens when trust is broken in a relationship? In The First Lie (First time cheating), we explore the complicated reality of infidelity, betrayal, and the agreements that define our intimate relationships. Dr. Rachael Needle joins us to unpack why cheating isn’t defined by a single behavior, why people are unfaithful, and what infidelity can reveal about love, sex, trust, and commitment. We also hear a deeply personal listener story from someone who discovered infidelity in their marriage, confronting the painful distance between the relationship she thought she had and the reality she was suddenly forced to face. It’s an honest conversation about cheating, broken trust, and the complicated contradictions that emerge when love and betrayal exist in the same story.

In this episode of Sexual Encounters: The Very First Time, MaryJane and Dr. Markie explore first times in polygamous and polyamorous relationships - the joy, the jealousy, the boundaries, and the breakthroughs. Whether part of a cultural tradition or a chosen poly dynamic, the conversation with Dr. Markie unpacks what it means to share love, sex, and emotional vulnerability beyond monogamy.   Useful resources:  Meri Brown: https://www.worthyup.com/   Polyam-Centric Therapy Roleplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqE2VjPNBAU&t=373s Original source citation: Twist, M. L. C. (2016). Polyam-Centric role play. University of Wisconsin-Stout, MFT 733, Summer, 2016 Advanced Sex Therapy course.    Monogamism Measure: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14681994.2018.1526883 Twist, M. L. C., Prouty, A. M., Haym, C., & *VandenBosch, M. L. (2018). Monogamism measure. Sexual and Relationship Therapy, 33(4), 376-381.   Celebrating polyamory day: https://www.cosrt.org.uk/opinion/celebrating-polyamory-day-committing-to-managing-monogamism-in-psychosexual-therapy-practice/  Twist, M. L. C. (November, 2021). Celebrating polyamory day: Committing to managing monogamism in psychosexual therapy practice [blog]. College of Sexual and Relationship Therapists.    

In this episode of Sexual Encounters: The Very First Time, MaryJane is joined by psychotherapist Sergio Rebelo to explore the complex emotional, psychological, and relational realities surrounding first-time experiences in sex work. Together, they discuss agency, circumstance, consent, stigma, boundaries, identity, and the myths that often shape public perceptions. From the difference between choice and necessity to the lasting meaning these experiences can hold, this thoughtful conversation offers a compassionate, nuanced look at intimacy when it becomes labor and reminds us that behind every first time is a deeply human story.

What happens when intimacy expands beyond two people? In this episode of Sexual Encounters: The Very First Time, host MaryJane is joined by sex and relationship experts Dr. Markie Twist, Dr. Alex Iantaffi, and Dr. Allen Mallory for an honest conversation about first-time threesomes, throuples, ethical non-monogamy, and other multi-partner dynamics. Together, they explore the gap between fantasy and reality, communication, consent, jealousy, emotional vulnerability, and the surprising logistics of navigating intimacy with more than one partner. Whether you're simply curious or exploring non-traditional relationships yourself, this thoughtful and judgment-free discussion offers practical insights into desire, boundaries, and the emotional complexity of first-time group experiences.   Follow our sexperts on socials: ​  @DrMarkieLCTwist⁩  @xtaffi ​  ⁨@nmbr1bballplyer⁩