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CBC
10-05-2025
- General
- CBC
Can't seem to stick a label on your relationship? You might be in a situationship
You may have heard the term situationship recently. Maybe you're in one. Maybe you've been in one and didn't even know it. Maybe you heard someone mention the word and have no clue what it means. The word can be hard to define. Situationships are, by nature, hard to define relationships — and they're defined by that lack of definition, says Jessica Maxwell. "There are aspects of romantic relationship intimacy, as well as a lot of passion, but what's lacking is the commitment and the clear label," Maxwell, an assistant professor at McMaster University who researches interpersonal relationships and sexuality, told Just Asking host Saroja Coelho. "That seems to be kind of, I'd say, the agreed-upon definition of the situationship." Some relationship experts say situationships may not be a totally new concept, but they've entered the zeitgeist, and can be challenging to navigate. "So many of us have been there, we know someone who's been in that situationship and it's a very, are they or aren't they?" said relationship expert and columnist Jen Kirsch. Are situationships new? Not exactly. People have found themselves in relationships that they couldn't easily explain to their friends and family for a long time. Remember in the early days of Facebook, when you could label your relationship status as "It's complicated"? It's kind of like that. According to Maxwell, people have been talking about situationships since as early as 2009, and likely even before. "Anecdotally, we all seem to think it's something that's, like, very new — very era of Tinder and online dating. But situationships have existed for a long time," said Maxwell. WATCH | Experts weigh in on how best to define a situationship: What are situationships and how to know if you're in one 2 days ago Duration 2:36 Experts Jessica Maxwell, a McMaster University assistant professor, and Jen Kirsch, a relationship expert and columnist, weigh in on how best to define a situationship. What we're seeing, Maxwell says, is wider use of the term and, though it's hard to quantify, potentially more people finding themselves in situationships. "Given the rise of online dating, people are less willing to commit. So, I think perhaps even though the term might not be new, the levels that we're seeing them happen could be new," said Maxwell. Is that just a friend with benefits? Kind of, according to Maxwell. "If you're taking kind of a pure definition of friends with benefits, you would have a true friendship first before adding sex in as a bonus. Whereas people have said instead a situationship is more that you have a sexual relationship and the emotions come in as an added bonus," she said. Who are situationships for? While it's a term you might hear all over social media, situationships can span generations. "I'm an empty nester now and, and have been separated for 10 years. So there's been lots of dating happening, but I've started to really come to value that shorter relationships can still be really meaningful," said Scott Tammik, 53, of Toronto. Anecdotally, Maxwell says she has spoken to middle-aged people who are finding themselves in situationships. "They've already maybe done the marriage thing, or they're not interested in maybe hitting certain milestones," said Maxwell. "Whereas typically you see a little bit more negative perceptions around situationships for young people who kind of feel like they're forced into them rather than something that they chose themselves." Is a situationship right for me? Well, that's up to you. For some people, Kirsch says a situationship is exactly what the relationship doctor ordered. She says it can be a space where people can feel the intimacy they're looking for, while feeling safer than they would seeking that intimacy from a stranger. It can also be a safe space after the end of a serious relationship. But it's not for everybody. "I think the biggest issues, and why situationships tend to predominantly have a negative connotation, is the fact that there's always someone that wants it a little more," said Kirsch, who is based out of Toronto. That person "feels like they're put on the back burner and they know, possibly, that they should end it and they're just staying in hopes that they could fix something." How to move past a situationship So, what do you do if you're the one who wants to move out of a situationship and into something more serious? "If you are open to having the conversation, a great way is to just do it," said Kirsch. Kirsch says it's also OK to text the question if you don't want it to be so serious. "The thing with a text message is you leave space for someone to take time to respond how they want to. You're not putting them on the spot," said Kirsch. Maxwell says you do have to be careful when approaching a situationship. People who crave a deep and committed relationship should try to avoid a situationship by being upfront about what they're looking for. "If you see someone who wants a situationship, and you know yourself deep down ... that's not gonna work for you, it might be just better to potentially avoid that altogether and keep pursuing what you do want," said Maxwell.
CBC
02-05-2025
- Politics
- CBC
What questions do you have about the future of the NDP?
You've got smart questions, we've got solid answers. Click here to listen to the CBC's Just Asking every Saturday at 4 p.m. when you need to make sense of the world around you. Let your friend Saroja Coelho be your guide. With guest experts, Just Asking turns the week's news and latest trends into tips that help you make better decisions in your life. Whether it's tech, money, career or health — we'll hear you out, and help you out. The show takes live calls on CBC Radio every Saturday afternoon, and drops the podcast that same evening. Here's what's happening this Saturday: What questions do you have about the future of the NDP? The federal NDP was nearly wiped off the electoral map in last week's election. Jagmeet Singh stepped down as party leader after the New Democrats dropped to seven seats, and lost its official party status. So where does the NDP go from here? We'll have two guests to take your questions about what's next for the party. Send your questions to What questions do you have about 'situationships'? Have you ever been in a "sort-of" relationship? If you're more than friends but not quite partners, if the definitions are fuzzy and the commitments are loose. You might be in a "situationship". For some people, situationships are liberating because there are no labels and no expectations. For others, a situationship is an anxiety-causing waiting game. What questions do you have about situationships or relationships in general? Are you in a situationship? Not sure? Call! We've booked two guests to answer your questions. Jessica Maxwell is an assistant professor at McMaster University whose research focuses on interpersonal relationships and sexuality. And Jen Kirsch is a relationship expert and journalist. They'll be around to answer your questions. Send your questions to
CBC
17-04-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Elections 101 — what questions do you have about the Canadian electoral system?
Social Sharing You've got smart questions, we've got solid answers. Click here to listen to the CBC's Just Asking every Saturday at 4 p.m. when you need to make sense of the world around you. Let your friend Saroja Coelho be your guide. With guest experts, Just Asking turns the week's news and latest trends into tips that help you make better decisions in your life. Whether it's tech, money, career or health — we'll hear you out, and help you out. The show takes live calls on CBC Radio every Saturday afternoon, and drops the podcast that same evening. Here's what's happening this Saturday: Election 101: What questions do you have about Canada's electoral system, and how elections work in this country? With Canadians heading to the polls in a matter of days — it's time for a bit of an Election 101. You've heard of first-past-the-post, proportional representation, the writ — so how does our system actually work? What is first-past-the-post? And what do MPs actually do once they are elected? Any question big or small is on the table this week. We have two guests to help answer your questions. Andrea Perrella is an associate professor in the Department of Political Science at Wilfrid Laurier University. Tari Ajadi is an assistant professor of political science at McGill University in Montreal. Send your questions to What questions do you have about making friends as an adult? Making friends can be tough no matter how old you are. But once you get out of school and don't have classmates to fall back on, your pool of potential friends shrinks. So what do you do? We've got two friendship experts who are also best friends themselves and have been most of their lives. Aaron Karo and Matt Ritter are also hosts of the Man of the Year podcast. Also, Danielle Bayard Jackson is a female friendship coach and educator who will also join us with her thoughts. Send your questions to
CBC
04-04-2025
- Health
- CBC
What questions do you have about crossing the U.S. border right now?
Social Sharing You've got smart questions, we've got solid answers. Click here to listen to the CBC's Just Asking every Saturday at 4 p.m. when you need to make sense of the world around you. Let your friend Saroja Coelho be your guide. With guest experts, Just Asking turns the week's news and latest trends into tips that help you make better decisions in your life. Whether it's tech, money, career or health — we'll hear you out, and help you out. The show takes live calls on CBC Radio every Saturday afternoon, and drops the podcast that same evening. Here's what's happening this Saturday: What questions do you have about crossing the U.S. border right now? Stories of strict enforcement at the Canada-U.S. border have left many wondering if it's safe to travel. As we hear reports of more scrutiny, devices being searched, even arrests and detention… It can be scary to approach a border that, until now, has been celebrated for its peaceful nature and lack of significant military presence. What do you need to know when approaching the U.S. border? Will you need a burner phone - or to delete your social media accounts? We have two guests to take your questions. Melissa Babel is a Canadian immigration lawyer and Laura Dawson is the executive director of the Future Borders Coalition, an organization dedicated to better trade relations between the U.S. and Canada. What questions do you have? Send them to How a parent dealing with burnout got through it -- and can help you do the same Are you suffering from burn out? Alexandra Lily has been there and come through the other side. She has three step-children, and two of her own. One of her sons is living with a disability. Three years ago she was navigating doctors appointments, her son's daily seizures, and her own cancer diagnosis -- and she says she hit a wall. Now she's on the other side and helps parents who are in a similar situation. She'll take your questions about how to get through burnout. We'll also hear from Rebecca Pillai Riddell. She's a psychologist with the faculty of health at York University. Send your questions to
