I've read several posts on FDS about vetting men and one point was to not give in and have sex before commitment was made. That's a very good and very clear point. However, in new dating situations I have a bad sense of what going slow/fast means, all before or after commitment. (Note: u/Phoenix__Rising2018 wrote an excellent post about vetting for sexual compatibility.)

And I mean very basic intimacy marker such as:

  • When is OK to hold hands/ hugs / kiss
  • Come over to visit at each other's places
  • Spend the night (no sex)
  • Meet family? Meet friends

My own imagination of slow would be... first date talking and no touching. Within the next 3-4 dates maybe goodbye hugs or holding hands would be OK. Kissing/spending the night at some point after commitment (after 2-3 months). I would substitute kissing and such in the meanwhile with more physical activities such as ballroom dancing/sports together.

Obviously this depends on both you and the dating partner, but is this a realistic timeline? What are your guidelines for the physical intimacy progression?