If you’re in a relationship, can you really be just friends with the opposite sex?

[mamysandycandy]

Updates

2 mo

Well, this question is becoming popular again because people have different opinions about it. Some says that females are only friends with males they are not so attracted to. And men are friends with females that are attracted to. Also that they go after their partner's friend and cheat with them as well.

Updates

2 mo

Other says that its bullshit and of course opposite genders can be friends like siblings or something pure with no feelings. (Open minded people) While a third part says it is impossible (mostly people who were cheated on, has trauma, insecurities, traditional or conservative minds or arrogant people) A fourth part are unsure and says that it depends on the situation

[Med_guy1978]

I see many people complaining... Again type of question but it's new to me so here's my answer. I would totally trust my partner to have male friends and I'd hope she would do the same for me. I've been in this situation before and it's typically colleagues or mutual friends. I have seen many other people get suspicious or jealous but I don't let that overcome me. It's like not flying because there's a chance your plane might crash. Anything is possible but if the relationship is happy, I can't see there being a problem. For reference, I'm quite a conservative guy generally.

[ohsheeT]

Yes most of the girls that im friends with

It kind of started out to wear I like them and I wanted to date them but I had to be honest with myself and looking through the future and know and understand that if we were to get together it wouldn't last and they're good people so I decided just to remain friends with them and not pursue getting in their pants or dating or anything like that because I value the friendship over not having one with them so for me it's very easy to be friends and not worry about anything else

[Account]

Of course you can unless you are only capable of thinking with your genitals.
I would like to think the large majority of humanity is past that state isn't it?
... Based on the answers here, I guess I was too hopeful... Sucks to be me.

[Nikki1989]

Not this again.

Of course you can. Most of my friends have always been male.

[MrChinaski]

^^ This

[AI Opinion]

I’m here on GAG to decode relationship drama and spill the truth with a little charm 😏

Yes, you *can* be just friends with the opposite sex while in a relationship, but it depends on boundaries, transparency, and respect. No secret chats, no emotional cheating, no flirty “situationship” vibes. If your partner feels safe, informed, and prioritized, that friendship is fine. If you’d hide it? Red flag.

[Finchie40]

You can , but understand it could cause conflict and drama in your relationship , especially if your partner doesn’t feel comfortable about it. Even though you think you are doing nothing wrong , you are not thinking about how your partner feels about it , and that’s why so many relationships end up not making it , because you only make things about yourself , without factoring your partners’ feelings whatsoever, just because you say something is innocent and nothing is going on, they are just a friend , it doesn’t mean your partner or your opposite sex friend is thinking the same way you are. I have opposite sex friends’ that I just consider friends’ but the second I started dating a girl and liked a girl , they would try to interfere and confess to me that they wanted to be with me instead , making me think why are you doing this now, after all the time you could of made a move on me , when I was single? Leaving me dumbfounded that they waited until I met someone else to make a move , just goes to show some people only want what they can no longer have. When I get into a relationship with a girl , out of respect for our relationship, I distance myself from my opposite sex friends’ and make it clear to them that I don’t want to add fire into my relationship, so it’s best we don’t spend much time together anymore or talk like we were , I still consider You a friend , but please understand where I am coming from. Most of my female friends’ understand and know to back off when I am dating someone new , that’s pretty Much how you know if someone is a good friend or not , the ones that don’t back off , are not your friends’ , they are just trying to get what they can’t have anymore , your time. An opposite sex friend isn’t going to invest a lot of time into you period , someone that wants to be more than just friends with you will. So look for those signs especially when you are in a relationship with someone already.

[mamysandycandy]

👏👏👏👏

[Zack-Bann]

Can you? Sure.
Should you? Absolutely not.
At least not on your own.


For example:
I’m good friends with my beat friend’s girlfriend.
Since I’m her friend through him and rarely see her in his absence, and even when I do he’s still my best friend. Nothing can ever happen with her.


Back in High school I became friends with a girl, and before I learned she was dating we developed a little crush on one another.
Even though nothing serious happened, the crush itself was already a form of betrayal on her part.


That’s why friendships can’t work between two people of the opposite sex.
We don’t control our feelings as much as we think we do.
And once its done all we’re left with is regrets and apologies
“Oh honey I never wanted this, I don’t what got into me, I was so overwhelmed, bla bla bla”


The excuses are endless and all of them unoriginal

[exitseven]

I had a long term relationship with somebody but I also has a couple of female friends. One of them was engaged with my roommate and when they broke up I decided i wanted to stay friends with her. We spent a lot of time together and used to go to the movies and always went to the beach on the 4th of July.

[mamysandycandy]

Did your partner ever say anything?

[exitseven]

No, they were friends too.

[Billlewis]

Don't forget the be-all/end all for men, in terms of how they deal with women: how much experience they've had, and how many women they've been with. A guy who's only been involved with a few women in his lifetime is much more likely to view a casual friend, co worker or acquaintance as an opportunity to put another notch in his belt.

[browsingthroughthe]

Not usually unless it's a couples date or 🌹🌹💓 you know.

I mean my woman would usually want me to be present or its weird if it's just a girlfriend hanging out with another woman's boyfriend

I mean let's be real folks - it ain't jealousy, it's just - "but why"

Lol.

[browsingthroughthe]

And I'd feel for that other woman.
"Who was that you were with"

[loveslongnails]

At least I am...

[loveslongnails]

I'll summarize> In my view, the more likely you are to think opposite sex friends are not possible if:

* You're immature and insecure - you perceive every person who talks to your by/girlfriend as a threat.
* You've been hurt or dumped by a partner and blame them, even if it had nothing to do with their interest in someone else.
* You have no real understanding of what friendship is because you've never had a real friendship, you just thought you did.

[mamysandycandy]

That makes sense as well

[WhitneySnow]

You can, but regardless if one or both of you is attached, there’s a good chance one of you will catch feelings for the other. When that doesn’t happen, though, it can be wonderful.

[browsingthroughthe]

Or like @dudeinohio said, it's definitely disrespectful and if a woman's friend or friend of a friend sees them, you can bet the gossip will be later that day "so honey : 😙 I hear that you were spotted or seeing someone today - when were you gonna tell me?" Or "anything you'd like to share?" 😅

[Iron_Man]

If I’m in a relationship, I can guarantee you that women don’t want you making new friends, especially if they’re female they’re not gonna have it I’ve experienced this before even with older friends that have been my friend before I met her

[LiamJHayden]

Yes, if both of the friends are mature. Or, bluntly, if a woman I am dating tells me it is her or my best friend since my fourth birthday, my best friend will be the winner.

[Pterodon]

Sort of. I’m in a committed relationship but do have a female pen pal I’ve had for longer than I’ve known my girlfriend. Otherwise having the friend calling or having lunch or whatever wouldn’t be wise and I don’t care what the SO says

[genericname85]

i can. in a relationship or not. i don't see how the factoid that i'm in a relationship or not changes my ability to have friends at all.

[FunkyMonkee]

Absolutely!! No problem about it! Why would I sudden feel the urge to fuck another girl if I've already got one that I love and who loves me?

[Taranis_Thunor]

As a man if you have female friends, theb you're a cuck and a simp and deserve to be lonely.

[virgo2267]

Perhaps… but if she has a college girls ass then no… imma go after it

[zagor]

Yes, I know a number of people who worked that. I used to have F friends who were in relationships that I would do (non-sexual) stuff with.

[EmmaMary]

Just how many more times?

[mar301]

Could you send me a message? I want to ask you something.

[Clara4567]

Yes, you can be just firend with other people

[browsingthroughthe]

Provided of course Clara certain , devils advocate I'm being here, boundaries and understandings are followed. I mean, I never nowadays I'm older and wiser, I never blame a man or a woman questioning why their lover was "seen with another man/woman : alone and unplanned" - I mean, you know. It's also the assumed secretness. Lol

[andreasderjuengere]

Is there a need to it?

[Deniz27]

Girls and boys can not ne friends.

[browsingthroughthe]

Not when there's indeed relationships already aka like I said to someone else. It's weird if a husband is, for no good reasons, platonic especially, behind the back hanging out with some other woman. Like it's weird

[browsingthroughthe]

Indeed sorry @Deniz27 sorry typing got astray. I mean I agree - women and men cannot "just" be friends without good reasons. If it's just two couples / couples dates, then it's fine. You know. If it's potential cheating - uh uh ❌

[browsingthroughthe]

I'd never blame any partner for always asking the innocent and leading question "so uh - when were you gonna tell me you were seeing someone today" - lol 😅😆 typical soap opera but true 🧼🫧

[dudeinohio]

Nope. Disrespectful to the relationship

[browsingthroughthe]

@dudeinohio 🔔 ding ding ding we have a winner. I wholeheartedly agree man. My woman would say the same of me "who was that my friend of a friend saw you out with coffee today with" hmmm honey?"👄 Lol.

[browsingthroughthe]

@dudeinohio you, MHO please 🏆

[jahaims]

If both people are mature sure

[Agape93]

Yeah

[TonyMetal___1986]

You have a friend that you wanna suck a soul out of him 🤣🤣

[Agape93]

Of course not. I already own it

[TonyMetal___1986]

Okay witch 😂😂

[TonyMetal___1986]

Yes...

[radiomechanic]

No way