We grow up hearing that your first time should be with someone you love and that if it’s true love, it’ll be magical. But what happens when reality doesn’t match the fairytale?

In this episode of Sexual Encounters: The Very First Time, we unpack the myths, expectations, and emotional layers that come with mixing (or separating) love and sex. From why so many people link sex to intimacy, to what happens when those lines blur or break this is a conversation about love, desire, and defining intimacy on your own terms.

Featuring sexologist Dr. Markie Twist and psychosexual therapist Silva Neves, this episode unpacks why the “love first, sex second” narrative can lead to disappointment, how cultural messages and shame shape choices, and offers practical advice for healing and empowerment when first times don’t go as planned.

Listen now and join the conversation: What did love mean to you when you had your first time?