Do you believe in friendship between men and women?

[lisaa_hall]

Not F+

Yes

No

Depends on the person

[strawberrysouffle]

I'm surrounded by guys at least 5 days per week, 8 hours per day. It's only normal that I have a lot of male friends. I have no romantic interest in any of them. Yes, some of them are attractive, but that does not mean I'm actually going to sleep with them. I find a lot of my female friends attractive, too, but I don't sleep with them because they are my friends.

I've gone out with male friends, gotten drunk with them, slept over at their place,... and nothing have ever happened or has even come close to happening because we're literally just good friends. Hell, I've gone to one of them in the middle of the night to comfort him because his relationship ended and NOTHING HAPPENED. It's not because you're both heterosexual that you cannot be close friends without being more. No one thinks two lesbians or bisexual women can't be just friends.

So of course men and women can be friends, it would be very weird if they couldn't.

[qxeenrrose]

Most definitely. I had the best guy friend ever that was like a brother to me. He passed away in March. And it’s probably the hardest thing I went through.. ever.
But anyway having a Friendship with a guy is always great because you can talk to them about certain things you can’t talk about with a girl friend.

[lisaa_hall]

I'm sorry for your loss.❤

[qxeenrrose]

thank you <3

[Camilla1158]

Ofc, there a just some people who are great as friends and r male, not coz they've been friendzoned but coz they're cool and not looking for a relationship. U can also be friends with ur partner as well. But in non-sexual relations I don't see why not.

[HorrorFan]

Sure, but it's quite difficult when boundaries aren't immediately established.

The problem happens when there is initial interest between both parties and things like sex and romance happens and then it fades in one person and that one person (usually the female in my experience both based on questions asked here and in real life) expects a downshift to platonic friendship.

This leaves the one that still has feelings in an awkward position where they either have to suffer through unrequited love (super painful when the other person actually has someone in their life that they ARE now into) or they move on, in which case the other person is usually pretty upset about it.

This happened to me recently and I chose to remain friends for as long as I could but I just had to put a stop to it recently.

[SirRexington]

I'm sorry about that man. I know the struggle.

[Anonymous]

Why is this questions asked every day? Just yesterday there was another question like this. Of course men and women can be friends, even if they find each other attractive. I would not consider dating someone just because they are attractive and I would not have sex with my friends without marriage.

[lisaa_hall]

Why do people get offended by seeing this question? I haven't seen it yet but everyone keeps annoying me. If you've already answered such a question then just ignore mine.

[Opinion Owner]

I didn't mean to annoy anyone, I am just surprised why this question is asked so often.

[Demised]

@lisaa_hall look at him. Tryin to be so RUDE in anonymous mode.
I agree with you lisaa. So many butt hurt people these days 😂

[JustAMeddler]

I personally think the question is a little bit off. Can you establish and maintain a friendship by someone you might (eventually or not) be sexually attracted to?

I think you can if you try. They can make great and caring friends. Of course it is the same for males, but females are more how to say it.. Sensitive, emotional. Women can at times give you the support you just need at the time where as men can't do it as good as them and same for other situations where men can help out better purely out of their personality and characteristics. (Yes I know it is quite a bit of generalizing. Just to make a point).

Just my opinion though

[dosiax]

Good read

[Vflores1994]

Yes. I met my best friend when I was 14. Our freshman year of high school. We’re almost 24, so it’s been 10 years of friendship. We’ve slept in the same bed before during one of our road trips and he divided the bed with pillows saying to stay off his side. Lol. Our senior year, during truth or dare, we were dared to kiss and it was pretty gross, afterwards we agreed to not talk about it and admitted that it almost felt like kissing a sibling. Don’t get me wrong, he’s attractive and when he looks nice, I pretend to flirt with him. And he does the same to me. But it doesn’t mean anything. We like to hype each other up. And to be honest, I think guys make better friends than girls. They give awesome relationship advice. Lol

[Claire136]

I have a childhood friend whose a guy and we were pretty close but never intimate. We never had the problem of emotions being more than platonic simply cause we were never attracted to each other. His not gay (as far as I know) and Im into guys so its not that. We just weren't into each other.

[Pamina]

I don't have to believe in it, because I do have male friends. And honestly, I don't know a single person IRL who doesn't have several friends of the same sex. The only place I ever encounter people who are doubtful of same-sex friendships, is on the internet. I have a hunch why that is...

[Pamina]

Err, I meant opposite sex friendships.

[lostinchicago]

I'd say mostly yes but depending on the person. I have a female friend whom I met when she was dating my best friend. Times we were almost better friends than me and my buddy. But that line was never crossed because that's just how it was. Other girls there's been times where it started out as a friendship but feelings developed and that took the feeling farther than a friendship could allow, yet going back to that simple friendship again seemed impossible

[WildNekoWolf]

Over the years, I have gained so many female friends. From Elementary school to middle school and even high school. I've had a female friend since 7th grade and nothing weird has happened between us. I have 10 female friends currently and nothing is weird between any of us. Weirdly, I have more female friends than I do male friends🤔.

[TallJamaican1991]

I think men and women can be friends. However, it's not easy and it really depends on the situation. If both friends are single and have any level of attraction to each other that goes beyond platonic, then most likely there will eventually come a dilemma that will complicate (and even end) the friendship. If there's no physical attraction at all, then the friendship should be just fine. I may be wrong though.

[InformMe87]

Many men and women are great friends; however I think there is also going to be somewhat of a sexual connection between them.

Most people don’t act on it and it goes years just playing out; others may see it differently (their friends almost always do)

[SirRexington]

If it's two people one on one hanging out and hanging out together regularly then no. There is a reason it's only them hanging out and not in a big group of friends they also invited, they specifically want only to be in the presence of that other person.

[Vflores1994]

Nah. My best friend of 10 years have gone on road trips, vacations, etc together with it being just me and him and it has never been romantic between us. He’s like the guy version of me. He’s told me I’m not his type and he’s not my type either. We don’t hang out with a big group all the time either mostly because we find the same people annoying. Lol. But wanting to be in the presence of someone, doesn’t mean you want to romantically be with them.

[SirRexington]

@Vflores1994 see, I'd have to be with that person. Who you described sounds like the perfect mate for me. Similar interests, ways of thinking, comfortable with one another, the female version of me! Sounds like heaven.

[Vflores1994]

Lol. Oh I see.

The reason I could never be with my best friend is because he’s exactly ME. Lol. He’s hard headed/stubborn, he hides his emotions, and I’m exactly like that. I need someone that’s the opposite of that. Plus, me and my best friend have never had the type of chemistry that you would need for a relationship. He feels like family.

[smolfish]

It is possible, but there are also times when you just know there's no way you're ever going to be just friends with that person.

[ISaimon]

Why couldn't you have friends from the opposite sex? I just have as many guy friends as girl friends. I don't see the problem

[Thatguyti]

Almost every one of them has thought about having sex with you at one point

[navyrobin]

Depends on the person mostly the guy.

If the guy is a dickhead who thinks women are only for sex then no he can’t have a female friend.

If he has a good rational head over his shoulders with no misogynistic backgrounds then he definitely can have a female friend.

[SirRexington]

I don't think falling for your friend and wanting to express your love sexually is misogynist. It's normal behavior, you find someone attractive who makes you happy. Why would you not have sexual desires for them? Just because they think about sex does not mean the sex is for a selfish and dishonorable cause. It could be because they care for their friend and want to be more than just friends. More than friends with benefits even.

[SaintRaghu]

@SirRexington She’s a feminist dude! She wouldn’t understand biology cuz she’s asexual and she’s never lusted on a guy before you know..

[navyrobin]

@SaintRaghu I feel sorry for you. LOL.

@SirRexington I said, if a man says “there is no way I can have a female friend; I only approach them for sex or romance” that is misogynistic. If you get to know a girl in order to hop in bed with her, that’’s misogynistic. That’s just how it is.

[Logorithim]

Yes, but attraction can develop, so you need to be extra careful in some cases how you relate to each other. One female friend and I are very careful never to be alone together in private because we both know there is attraction.

[0kein0]

I mean.. Gay people exist.. So that's a friendship with 100% no complications of feelings if a gay guy and a lesbian become friends. As for straight people, yeah, they can be friends too. It doesn't really matter tbh.

[rockinrollJesus]

Everyone I know in a relationship gay or straight have there moment where they rather put a front on to make everyone else think that they're life must b perfect but they still broken behind closed doors

[9teen]

No. Eventually one of them or both will develop feelings and even when they don't, the possibility is really high that something will happen when they're alone together.

[lovelyleo]

I think it depends on the person. Some can some can't. It just depends on the mentality of the people involved.

[hotdogliquid]

It always turn into love... I've never heard of cases where male and female or just friends. They always have at least one sexual encounter. Same for male male and female female

[DeeDeeDeVour]

I have a lot of male friends and they have a lot of female friends too.

[OldSchool_Metalhead]

I have a boyfriend and a guy friend who I'm going to soon be working on some music with. so friendship between men and women is definitely possible

[Chinosaurus]

I had one that lasted 5 years, we were inseparable. I got too attached and then I ended things when I realised it wasn’t going anywhere.

[Juan1312]

Yep, my best friend sicne childhood has been a girl, though I did have a crush on her, now I see her as a sister.

[ThoughtCleric]

I absolutely believe in this. I have had several. I think my friendship with Susan T. Was the best. We kind of drifted apart, but it wasn't like we stopped being friends. Her career went one way my career took me some where else.

[Mexicoman101]

Not platonic. Not unless there's a mutual sense of unattraction between the two of them, or unless one is dating a very strong friend of the other.

[Pamina]

But mutual unattraction is very common. I would argue that it's more common than attraction. So male-female platonic friends are not as rare as everyone makes it sound. I find it odd how many people claim they don't have any real friends of the opposite sex. I honestly only encounter that only. IRL I don't know a single person who doesn't have actual friends of the opposite sex.

[Mexicoman101]

Yeah I don't know if I'd have said those lack of feelings are more common but that's probably true. I've had a handful of female friends growing up but haven't really done a lot with any lately & branched off into other male friendships, partly because there was a girl who didn't think much of me I used to pal around with during high school & I had come to adore her. That shit is bad for the soul.

Maybe the culture is just different where you live, because I know people with no friends of the opposite sex.

[Pamina]

That's so strange to me. Most people I know are from all across Europe, and all of them have completely (sex) mixed circles of friends. The only people I know who don't have friends of the opposite sex, are teens. And even with them it's just certain teens. To me, a grown person with no friends of the opposite sex automatically signals immaturity of some sort.

Could be a Europe vs. America thing, but then again I have quite a few friends from America as well. Hmm. I'd find it really sad if the only men in my life were family or sex partners. I honestly think it's important to have friends of the opposite sex.

[Mexicoman101]

There's an understandable degree to which it's an obvious red flag if someone is incapable of having comradery with people of the opposite sex or normal emotional engagements, but I've met women who seemingly had no male friends who seemed well balanced to me.

The problem is if that comed from a mental place of 'girls have cooties' that you never quite really grew out of in spirit, or if the reason you wouldn't let any in is because you have misogynistic tendencies or are some hateful incel who believes women don't deserve or are capable of appreciating your involvement in their life because y'know, they owe you something you never got.

[Mexicoman101]

I'm not going to say it's not Potentially something to raise eyebrows at, but right now my last & recently only female friend I felt close to left & moved off like a year ago. I've been kind of content in the ether of old friendships I don't get in touch with except in online correspondences because, I've been having a lively enough dating life & I'm more of a solitary & introverted person in general who doesn't need a ton of exposure with many people.

Culturally speaking I would say that men & women are more segregated in the United States than in Europe, that may have something to do with it. I don't think it's at all rare here to have opposite sex friends, but it's definitely not ubiquitous.

[Pamina]

But then my question would be, what are good reasons to not be friends with the opposite sex? (Provided there's mutual lack of attraction.)

[Mexicoman101]

Well, I don't think you should be averse to having friends like that, I just feel like it's also fine if you don't prioritize befriending people on the basis of like a mental quota or because you don't like the way a same sex circle of friends makes other people feel. I used to actually have mainly just female friends when I was really young in grade school & I didn't care for the assumptions people would make about me in that case either. The culture around having mostly female friends in the US school system is not without baggage. There are people who say that it makes you look gay, I had people sending anonymous love letters to a friend I really wasn't attracted to under my name, etc.

[Pamina]

But grown ups?

[Mexicoman101]

@Pamina Well, grownups can be assholes to about it, I haven't been put in that same position since then but I've recounted incidences of men who shame women for hanging out with mostly men on social media.

I just don't find it Necessary, not that one should avoid females as friends. I think one theoretically could get the full benefit of experiencing friendship from male friendships, with people who operate on similarly hormone influenced behavioral patterns & probably have a few more things in common with themselves, in the same way a lot of women tend towards similar attitudes & habits; often preferring to hang out with other women. This is not evil, though it may be limiting if one doesn't fully investigate the dynamics available to them before making a snap decision & holding too firm. There are a lot of bad reasons not to have opposite sex relationships, but if you have a hobby like, I don't know, hunting, you're a lot less likely to make female friends from that & that is natural.

[Pamina]

Sure, if you only have interests that are more popular among your own gender, you're more likely to have only friends of your own gender. But those are usually very specific interests. Then I'd wonder why someone only has such interests.

[Mexicoman101]

@Pamina Well a lot of that's a matter of like, upbringing. Sometimes they got pulled into them by other friends, or maybe religion centric lifestyles pulled them towards a certain lifestyle like with nuns. I don't think there's anything inherently wrong with niche interests, people aren't all dying to be sociable all the time.

I mean you can notice when people are complete caricatures & only like to drink beer, talk about titties, play God Of War, & listen to death metal as all they do & identify 'oh this person is a tool' but I try not to relegate people to the one dimensional very often.

[Pamina]

You're misunderstanding my point.

[Mexicoman101]

Would you care to elaborate?

[Pamina]

I'm not sure if I can explain it differently than I already have.

[Mexicoman101]

It''s not unreasonable to wonder why someone would have faitly gender specific interests, there could be biases at play (if that's what you're aiming at), but I don't think that potential means there is something inherently unhealthy to their lifestyle, even if it means they develop same sex friendships most often.

Diversity of exposure to many people is good but I don't think a lack of that in ones friend circle is always going to indicate immaturity.

Perhaps I'm not picking up what you're laying down but it seems like that's partly what you meant by that.

[Pamina]

No, I'm afraid we're talking past each other.

[Mexicoman101]

Perhaps I'm being obtuse then, I didn't mean to convey myself that way here.

[Pamina]

Probably my fault though.

[Mexicoman101]

Nah I take responsibility, you can do no wrong 😅

But honestly, I do have moments of communicative difficulty.
Happens from time to time.

[Pamina]

No, I suck at explaining what I mean, especially in English.

[Mexicoman101]

I understand, it's probably not your first language. If I ever learn German like I'd like to, perhaps I'd have a similar problem.

[jaidee]

If the man has other romantic female partners in his life, yes.
Else, no. Friendship will turn into something more.

[A_Bell]

Bring friends doesn't mean you can't have sex or even flirt.

Relationships should be about more than the mechanics of sex and sex is a fun activity that doesn't have to mean you want babies or spend a lifetime with that person.

[Zilkk]

Yes, but I think it can get hard to maintain "just a friendship" if y'all spend a lot of time together with no one around, not that that is a bad thing. 2 of my best relationships came from girls that I thought of as just friends at one point.

[Drooogie4]

It happens. Rarely, but it does.
I have a guy I've been friends with since our freshman year of high school. He's attractive. I am. We tried to see if we could ever be more once, it was weird.
Just honestly platonic.

[arrykancil]

Absolutely yes, because i have 2 best friends that have been friends since i was high school, even though they both now have married but i still friends with both of them..

[prithivi102]

It's really depends on the person their mind and trait has to do with it

[bubble_tea]

I think it depends on the person. If a guy grew up with many sisters and female cousins, he's more likely to be able to see girls as platonic friends than say a guy who grew up with brothers and no female cousins.

[Johnnie1000]

Yes. But it is and will remain different than a same gender pal. And if any romance and/or sex is ever involved the friendship as you knew it is over.

[Anonymous]

Sure, this woman was going on about how much of a good friend I was... until she saw me in a fitted T-shirt. Maybe if both of you are seriously unattractive you can be friends, but even that is doubtful. If all it took was a damn T-shirt...

[unicorn1978]

Girls think so but guys normally want more and see it as leading them on

[JDavid25]

Yes, I mos def believe in friendship between men and women..

[ChadBanks95]

Yeah for sure. I have a bunch of friends, male and female. I enjoy their company a lot. There really isn't any sexual tension and we're open with each other about a lot of things.

[shan_shan]

Yes i believe but i also believe sometimes it can be challenging just as most of the times it can be good friendship more than those of the same gender

[UltraGamer]

Yes as long as both sides are loyal then yes it can exist, i have a few friends that are just friends so yeah it can work.

[Fukaroo]

I've never been just friends with a woman. It always leads to something else. Even if they are married they act this way. It's messed up.

[advice2380]

I have two best women as friends. Its nice to get a different perspective from the opposite sex. If i just had guys as best friends i would not have stronger connections with people.

[MadeInAmerica]

I believe in it. Although it seems rare because it seems someone always catches feeling or has hidden feelings.

[buffdude_1719]

Well my last guy bestfriend sexually assaulted me so i don’t really believe in any guy anymore, but i still have male friends tho, i am just more aware now

[JimRSmith]

Depends on who they are. I have female friends, but could I be friends with EVERY woman? Clearly not.

[IlyaTheImpaler]

men can be friends with a lot of things: animals, insects, houseplants, women, etc.

[Syrian_survivor]

Aren't animals and women the same thing?
Jk jk 😂❤

[JustCallMeLeon]

1000% no. There are bound to fk each other (or at least try) eventually.

[MLGbreezy]

Of course why woyldbt I I don't get why this is even a question to be honest

[Dreamzs]

I believe in one-sided friendship between men and women, called the friendzone, aside from that no

[joramos1987]

Yes, I have several female friends whom I have never had sex with. And I've been friends with them from 5 to 10yrs.

[Glenno965]

I've always had more girl just as friends than dudes. But from personal experience, it eventually does get tricky, someone always catches that flu that goes around called feelings, lol

[zammoo]

Noo, people watch movies and think it's real. Every sexually healthy man wants to bone a chick especially one they like. If he's gay or has a sexual problem then sure he can be her friend

[leilafriend1010]

Yes my best friend is a guy. The only one I trust. I couldn't imagine dating him. It would just be too weird

[Jjpayne]

Yes!!! That's something I desperately need right now! Just having a girl that's a friend, that I could chill with would be great!

[winterfox10]

I think that friendship between men and women is not possible for 90% of people

[390Pendolino]

Yes, it's possible. Not all friendships of the opposite sex are romantic.

[Renegade_man]

Yes i do and i have a few women that are just a friend nothing sexual

[whateva30]

If there is any chemistry the friendship can easily turn into something more. So it depends if you find the friend attractive or vice versa.

[Akraven]

I am living with a female roommat, and we are good friends but I can't stop thinking about have sex with her.

[SaltyBooze]

friendship is friendship. it doesn't matter the genitals you have.

[MimiHashima]

I don’t believe men and women being best friends if they are not together.. there’ll likely be conflicts and complications in the future.

[MimiHashima]

I can understand a regular friendship, but has standards.

[GoodGuyBreakingBad]

I believe there can be a friendship between a Man and Woman.

[GoodGuyBreakingBad]

As long as there is respect for each other it will work out.

[sakalator]

I have a girl best friend and she is so awesome! Even though we are different I can't explain how happy I am to have her ☺️☺️