Have male and female relationships changed in the last 20 years?

[jennifer_bloom]

When I was young, it was perfectly normal for men and women to be friends with each other but now it seems guys only talk to me if they want to date me, the exception being maybe 2/3rds of church guys.

[zagor]

I used to have a lot of female friends but don't now, but that is more a matter of my life (and theirs) getting busy and diverging. I don't think it has changed in general.

[Avicenna]

Social media has definitely made many relationships more difficult.

[Avicenna]

Communication in general also seems a lot worse.

[Avicenna]

Thanks for the MHO

[MrOracle]

Unlike 20 years ago, when maybe 70% of men were getting laid regularly, I'd guess that today, the number is closer to 30%.

If you were unable to buy or otherwise acquire food, and you were eating bugs and grass and roadkill to survive, how many conversations would you be able to have with people who obviously had an abundance of food where you didn't bring up the fact that you were starving to death and wasn't sure if you would even survive? I suspect not many.

I'm not saying that the guys don't share some of the blame and responsibility for this situation, but no woman should be shocked or surprised that men who were not getting something so fundamental to their happiness are looking for it at every opportunity. I can understand not liking the situation, but you should at least understand why it's happening and not be surprised that it is.

[SweetFyter]

Well, I can state that I've seen virtually NO change in male and female relationship during my lifetime!

But, seriously, like @jennifer_bloom mentioned, there are church guys and then the rest of the world guys. The church guys my age are OK, but frankly immature, I think. They church guys older I really like. But there's nothing romantic there because of the age diff, I think.

And then there's "the rest of the world guys." Admittedly, most of the guys I'm "met" outside my church or co-op (which is almost the same group) are guys I've met online. And way more of those guys are focused on sex than the church/co-op guys. Or, I guess I would say, the topic of sex or stuff related to that comes up most with the online guys and almost never with the church/co-op guys.

[MrtoddsWildRide]

I got married in 1997 and divorced in 2018. I am still amazed at how much things between men and women have changed.
Women are more sexually aggressive now. It used to be work to get a woman into bed, but now it's work to get them to hold off. I imagine that this is a problem for women looking to have a relationship too because men expect sex right off the bat. In the end, I think you will find a higher caliber of man if you wait, but it will take longer.
Paradoxically, women also seem more mistrustful of men then they used to be in every other way. I don't think that is necessarily a bad thing as long as they are not of the "All men are bad" mindset that seems to be more prevalent. Which is another change entirely. Both sexes seem to be much easier to think the other is the enemy. Personally, I am just trying to find a nice girl that I can get along with in and out of the bedroom.

[DaveJord]

So I graduated highschool in 1995. I had girls I'd call "friends". But I would also totally bone them if I had the chance. But at 14 to 18 you think you can't say that because it might creep her out.. So its best to be "friends" with her first. Then you learn about the "friend zone trap"... and how you are actually missing out on sex by falling into the trap. Then it clicks, and you figure out how getting laid really works.

Honestly at 45 just being friends with a girl without sex.. is like me giving it away for free. Like I am so desperate for female companionship (which I am not) that I am going to be her friend slut.

[Cluelessguy95]

I think it's because woman (not all) when they say they want a male friend they often mean that they want someone who would do everything a boyfriend would do like putting her first before everybody else, sacrificing stuff for her to make her happy, go above and beyond.
All that with out you giving them sexual attention (most of the time sexual attention is the most intimate thing for men it's how we feel loved) and instead giving that kind of attention to an asshole who doesn't put any effort and treats you like shit.

[Vegasrunner]

No Male Female relationships have not changed. You have changed. When you're younger more guys will pretend to be your friend so they can bang u. As you get older guys are going to be more upfront because they're not as concerned w/ losing you. I dont mind being friends w/ a woman if she can help me attract other women but just being friends w/ a woman is a waste of time for guys.

[zaharuh]

I don't know but it's hard for me to be friends with a guy bc someone always catches feelings and things just become weird after I feel like guys make better casual friends for me and girls are better for like close friends

[ohshee]

I really hope so and I think it's for the better because women have gotten stronger bolder and they're more vocal about it and they're not going to take any crap from anybody and that's the way it should be so I hope that it has changed it women are stepping out of their shell and becoming who they want to become

[Subarugirl]

It hasn't changed, older men are just less likely to use "friendship" as precursor to getting laid and are more strait forward about what they want. Relationship haven't changed, your dating pool of age appropriate men act differently in their late 30s and 40s than they do in their 20s.

[Cruiser2000]

The entire dynamics of relationships have changed in the last 20+ years.
I think women and men were exploring their individuality and sexuality much more in the past. Relationships were on an equal basis. Now, it's much more a materialistic world. Now it's more "art of the deal".

[Dragonstarterplus]

Most of those guy friends you're thinking of from the good ol' days would have probably been willing to date you as well if you were interested

[wankiam]

no and essentially they haven't changed much in 200 years or even 2000.

[GlassTop]

I don’t think they’ve changed, it’s just the etiquette and chivalry are gone, so guys don’t play the role of being friends anymore. This is thanks to equality and the feminist movement.

[anylolone]

Have you tried being interesting as a friend to guys?

[jennifer_bloom]

I’m interesting to religious guys but not to rich non religious guys.

[anylolone]

Yes, well, more interesting to non-religious guys as you are clearly more interesting as a friend to religious guys. Likely to do with the fact that you are religious.

I can also make a very good prediction that the non-religious rich men who approach you for dating also approach a shit ton of women, and that the religious men who approach you for friendship also approach a lot more women for friendship.

Here's another prediction, a guy who plays an instrument os way more likely to approach a woman to play in his band than a guy who doesn't.

What's the reason for that?

[captain_voidwalker]

Has a lot to do with your age. As men get older they get more and more responsibility dumped in thier lap. So we drop the pretences and get strait to the point more often

[IHateBeingaMan]

well the burden of men making the first move and asking the woman out still remains the same and likely always will

[clampfan101]

I’ve had perfectly casual friendships with girls.

[Anonymous]

Yes.