About this episode

The episode explores current dating trends, challenges, and the importance of self-discovery in relationships.

Is anybody still dating? Nearly half of U.S. adults are unpartnered, but that doesn't mean they're all out there swiping. On this episode, Jessica, Ariele, and cultural chatteress Kathleen sit down to talk about what's actually happening in the current dating landscape — the stats, the shifts, and the very online terms (looking at you, "alpine divorce") that are shaping how people feel about putting themselves out there. We go there on the hard parts first: red pill manipulation tactics, dating app burnout, and what it means to build felt safety with someone new — including an honest conversation about how race and fetishization show up in dating for women of color. But we don't stop in the bad. We flip it and talk about what's genuinely good about dating: what it teaches you about yourself, why dating yourself matters just as much as dating anyone else, and why long-term partners need to keep dating each other, too. And because we can't be serious the whole time, we close it out with a new segment — What Kind of Dater Are You? — to help you figure out your dating type once and for all. This one's for the folks actively swiping, the folks who took a step back, the folks who are…

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