Hunk Unc: What's your opinion: Can friends of the opposite sex still talk/hang out when one of them gets a partner (of the opposite sex)?

Now hear Unc out for a second.

You ever watched Too Hot to Handle? Whole show is basically people acting like they physically cannot interact without it turning sexual. Entertaining, sure. But also… bleak.

Because if you genuinely think you can’t be friends with someone just because you could be attracted to them, that’s a you thing. Not everyone you get along with needs to be put in that category.

If it’s just a normal friendship and one of you gets a partner, nothing should really change. You carry on, be respectful, and just… act like a decent person. It’s not complicated unless someone makes it complicated.

Where it can get a bit tricky is if there’s been history. Flirting, a situationship, whatever it was. Then yeah—you probably need to have a slightly uncomfortable chat. Clear up what’s appropriate now, what’s not, and just make sure everyone’s on the same page. Bit awkward, but far better than pretending it’s fine and letting it get weird.

And be honest with yourself as well—if you’re only keeping certain “friends” around because you think there might be a chance one day… that’s something to look at. Unc’s not even judging, just saying it might be worth unpacking.

Because walking around viewing all your friends as potential hookups is a bit cooked, let’s be real. 

If that’s your default setting, of course you’re going to struggle with this whole “can we still be friends when someone’s in a relationship” question—you’ve already framed the friendship in a way that makes it messy. 

You don’t need to be sizing people up like that. Learn how to just value people as people, not possibilities. Otherwise yeah, that’s something you might want to sort out before blaming “men and women can’t be friends” as a concept.

End of the day, people don’t suddenly become off-limits as friends because they’re in a relationship. You just need a bit of awareness and some basic respect.

Unc reckons you can absolutely stay friends. Just don’t be strange about it.