Do you give your passwords to your significant other?

I saw a debate emerge on facebook regarding relationship advice. The person who started the debate is somewhat well known. I won't say who they are because that doesn't matter. What they said is that in order to regain trust after someone has cheated they should be 100% transparent and give the other person their passwords to everything. They also said that in every relationship they offer their significant other their passwords to show that they have nothing to hide.

I do not agree with this and so I am taking to my blog to share my opinion and thoughts. 

I think there's a difference between demanding someone's passwords to "rebuild trust" and not hiding anything. For example - Derek does not know my password to my email or my facebook but I don't log out of it on my computer or phone. If he wanted to he could bring up my gmail or facebook and I don't care. I trust that he wouldn't snoop but I also don't have anything to hide. He also knows the password to my phone but that's because sometimes I need him to access something on my phone when I'm driving etc. I didn't demand that we exchange passwords. I don't know his email password and I don't care. That's because I trust him.

My other problem is if you're significant other cheated and you demand all of their passwords do you alert friends and family to this? What if a friend reaches out via email or text with something very personal that they don't want anyone else to know? If you're checking their emails and texts you could come across something that someone thought would be private.

And how far do you go? What about work email? Do you demand that password too? Work emails could be considered confidential. Where is the line?

I think every relationship needs some privacy. I think it's fine if you both have access to each other's emails or phones but demanding someone's password as a way to prove trustworthiness after that trust was violated, well that's like my cat not scratching on something because I'm standing there. He knows he shouldn't and because I'm watching he won't but the second I turn my back he'll start scratching. How long do you want to be standing there?

So do you exchange passwords with your significant other?