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Oct 23, 2012 · Daily experience suggests that non-romantic friendships between males and females are not only possible, but common—men and women live, work, and play side-by-side, and generally seem to be...
- Overview
- Can a guy and a girl be just friends?
- Scientific Evidence
- Signs that a Guy-Girl Friendship is Just Platonic
- Benefits of Guy-Girl Friendships
- How to Keep Friendships Platonic
Can a guy and a girl be just friends?
It's an age-old debate: in a friendship between a guy and a girl, are there always romantic feelings hiding beneath the surface? It’s an important question, especially if you’re worried that your friend has feelings for you or that your partner is harboring a secret crush on their bestie. Don’t worry–we’ve got your back. We’ve gathered all the evidence about guy-girl friendships, as well as tips on how to keep a relationship platonic, so that you can appreciate male-female friendships instead of panicking about them.
Guys and girls can be just friends—around three quarters of men have non-romantic friendships with women, and not all people are attracted to the opposite sex.
Men and women can be true friends if they support the other person’s love life, don’t flirt with each other, and aren’t waiting around hoping for a romance.
Yes, guys and girls can definitely be just friends.
Friendships between men and women are super common and can really enrich your life. The vast majority of people have male-female friendships without ever wanting to date their friend. When you're true friends, you hang out with each other because you like being friends--and nothing more.
Movies and TV shows might make it seem like guys and girls can never be just friends (“When Harry Met Sally” is a famous one
), but in reality, many men and women are close friends without ever developing romantic or sexual feelings.
In a few friendships, there might sometimes be momentary attraction, just like how you might think a stranger or a classmate is attractive, but you
don't pursue those occasional thoughts
Sociologists observe that male-female friendships are common.
They record lots of successful and non-romantic friendships between straight men and straight women, even though same-sex friendships are more popular.
Psychologists also find that there are specific benefits to male-female friendships: cross-sex friendships help people meet social and emotional needs,
learn how to interact with someone of a different gender
, and encounter new perspectives
One study found that 75% of men and 65% of women have a non-romantic friendship with someone of the opposite sex. It’s not so rare after all!
They support each other’s romantic relationships.
When someone cheers on their friend when they date someone else, that’s a sign that their relationship is purely platonic. If one person gets awkward when their friend talks about a date or how much they love their boyfriend, there might be romantic feelings involved.
They’re not attracted to people of their friend’s gender.
Whether someone is gay, lesbian, asexual, or fraysexual, there are lots of reasons why someone might not be attracted to their friend of a different gender. For example, there are no possibilities of dating between an asexual man and a lesbian, or between a fraysexual woman and a gay man.
They call each other “bro” or “friend.”
Have you ever heard them say “Bro, you won’t believe what happened” or “Hey, you’re a great friend” to each other? Then chances are, they see each other as platonic. Some couples call each other “bro,” but emphasizing the friendship part of their relationship probably means they’re just friends.
Experience a different kind of friendship.
Friendship styles are different for men and women because of cultural norms. For example, male friendships are often more competitive and involve group activities, while female friendships value equality and group conversation.
friendships with people of a different gender
, you can learn new friendship styles that might help you in different ways than your other friendships do. That'll help you be a better, more well-rounded person!
For example, a guy’s friendship with a girl might help him talk more about his feelings than his male friendships do, or a girl being friends with a guy might let her relax and be more casual. These are generalizations, but they happen sometimes!
Learn new things about people of another gender.
Know what kinds of settings and activities will lead to romantic feelings and
for yourself to avoid them. If you know that cuddling on the couch is going to make you feel some kind of way, stay out of that situation. If you always end up falling for your tennis doubles partner, keep platonic friendships out of that.
This doesn’t mean you can’t spend time one-on-one! Friends do fun things one-on-one all the time. The key is to avoid activities that will definitely lead to developing a crush.
Treat them like you treat all your other friends.
Ask them to grab a coffee with you and your friends, or to come to a game night at your place. Avoid dressing up nice for them, complimenting them in a romantic way, or planning elaborate romantic one-on-one time together. Treat them like one of the gang!
Be clear about your intentions.
Jun 6, 2016 · A young man discovers love for the first time with a girl he's been friends with since grade school...★ Subscribe NOW for an inspiring cinema http://bit.ly...
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Although women dig men's lighthearted attitude, most male-female friendships resemble women's emotionally involving friendships more than they do men's activity-oriented relationships,...
Mar 16, 2016 · Friendships between men and women are possible almost entirely because women don't reciprocate their male friends' desires to f*ck. Please, hear me out. A man acts like he is...
Mar 28, 2012 · As you can see, some believe it’s possible while others simply do not. This argument went viral back in December when two students at Utah State, Jesse Budd and Patrick Romero made a short video called “Why Men and Women Can’t Be Friends,” which you should check out if you haven’t done so yet.
Oct 24, 2012 · The results suggest that, compared to women, men have a harder time accepting the “just friends” label and that two people can experience the same friendship in radically different ways, which ...
