If you’re not completely familiar with ‘bro code’, or alternatively known as ‘girl code’, it’s the age-old concept that a mate should not go for someone that you’ve previously dated/seen. This is for obvious reasons, such as it obviously potentially being hurtful to your buddy and the fact that there really are enough fish in the sea of dating for them not to entertain your ex.  
 
This concept may have worked in a more chivalrous era, where dating was far more intentional, but with hookup culture now, I’m not sure that everyone is familiar with the concept! I personally fell victim to girl code a few weeks ago, and when confronting my ‘buddy’ about not feeling comfortable with it, she was pretty surprised! This has sent me down a rabbit hole to understand where our morals lie as a society and why it now seems to be acceptable. 
 
My first finding was the media. My friend that broke the girl code and I have a severe Love Island addiction! A show that literally promotes people becoming friends and then dating each other’s ex’s. The response? Little to none, unless you chose to strategically date your friend’s ex to ‘get back at them’- creating a vicious cycle where you’re now just on the same level. When I confronted her about the situation, she quite literally offered up any of her exes for myself insisting that I’m welcome to pursue them if I please. I can’t help but think that this is learnt behaviour – no one comes out the womb offering their exes!  
 
Additionally, with the dating life span of many of my close circle being an average of >3 weeks, maybe we are just running out of options. Bonuses of dating your friend’s ex is that you already have them scoped out, have probably been told what they are like in bed, and there’s underlying sexual tension ready to be addressed! I’m not going to lie, it’s starting to sound pretty sweet.  
 
With all that temptation, I do still believe in a ‘bros before hoes’ mentality. You should really get your mates permission to date their ex if you are delusional enough to think that they may be the one for you! If they are fine with it, the coast is clear! If you’re hiding it because you know how upset they will be- not really cool! 
 
In conclusion, while the specific tenets of ‘girl code’ and ‘bro code’ may have morphed over time, the core idea remains timeless. Friendships are about trust and loyalty, and no amount of digital disruption can change that. My final answer is that yes, it exists if you have good mates. If not, maybe find new ones. There’s 7 billion people in this world, and they still chose to go for your ex! X