Can men and women be friends??

[AppyLover2]

They were discussing this on the Today show this morning and I thought it might be a good topic. I've always firmly believed men and women could be friends. I know some people say no. What's your opinion??

 

[Marty]

Absolutley. I had plenty of boy......friends. We traveled in groups during my teen years, all the girls and the boys together. The boys would hang out with us and go to the beach and shopping at the mall, everything just like you would do with your friend of your same sex. I'm still in touch with a couple of them today.

Jerry and I started out as friends, just doing fun things together, the beach, movies, riding horses, boating, eating, shopping. We were very good friends for about 2 years before it changed.

 

[chandab]

I agree with Marty. Men and women (boys and girls) can be "just" friends.

I have a male friend from college; we are both married now and still keep in touch (the internet is wonderful). Most of the other guys I've been friends don't keep in touch and never did.

 

[Bluerocket]

Absolutely!

 

[shortymisty]

My jury is still out on this, only because of personal experience. I do think that you can be friends, but my experience, I have not had that pleasure. It's always one thing or the other, and maybe the only "boy" friend I had is no longer here

But in the past I have had "boy" friends and they are the ones the usually "ruin" the relationship or their significant other can't understand the relationship, so I tend to stay away just because of the controversy surrounding it. But that is only my experience and I am looking for that male friend and I do mean friend because my hubby doesn't like to ride so if anyone is near NC COME ON DOWN

 

[Laura]

Of course. I consider Dana's husband Billy to be one of my closest friends. I also have an ex that is a friend. Now I know HE wants it to be more, but he knows that's just too bad and we stay friends

 

[jdomep]

YES

I have quite a few men friends. One (actually he and his twin brother) I have been friends with since we were 6 and we still are close and email often (even though he and his family still live in Florida). I love having men as friends - seems I trust them more. I feel close to my friends DH's too.

 

[justjinx]

ABSOLUTELY! I have had some excellent friends that were men with no romantic interest on either side....works great! jennifer

 

[Feather1414]

Absolutly. One of my best friends is a guy, and I have no interest in making him anything more - mainly because he has a girlfriend and because he is just Levi, one of my best friends. I can tell him anything though, I agree with trusting a guy a lot more.

 

[strass]

Have you ever watched "When Harry Met Sally"?

I'm revealing a less than masculine side here, but I'm admitting that it's one of my favorite movies.

The very question of men and women being friends is one that Billy Crystal attempts to address several times throughout the film.

In the end, he decides that they can indeed be friends, but what makes it better is that his wife is his best friend.

That's exactly how I feel.

 

[Sterling]

Oh yes....absolutely!!! They also can tend to be less nit picky, crass and catty than some women.

 

[nootka]

For sure. I tend to gather male friends more easily than female, maybe because I like tomboyish things like cars/trucks and the like, and I understand them pretty well, but overall, aside from a few hitches here and there (the obvious ones that have already been stated), I think my male friends and I really cherish our relationships.

In many cases, I've seen them through several relationships and lots of life changes, though I've been married for 18 years. My husband is fine w/these friends and he knows many of them very well and is their friend as well.

Liz M.

 

[Magic]

Yep! I have several friends that are men. Most of us are married, but there are some single guys that are friends as well. A mutual respect keeps everything on a "just friends" level.

 

[lyn_j]

[SIZE=14pt]Absolutely....I have a male friend....Bruce actually, that I can talk to about anything.... My husband isnt a talker. I have a local best friend that is a woman but I would rather call Bruce to discuss anything important. We also have the most in comon.[/SIZE]

Lyn

 

[Miniv]

You betcha!

Back in 1976 I made friends with this great guy.....We talked about all sorts of stuff, spent some time together, but we dated other people.

In 1978 our relationship slipped into something else and we got married. We've had some ups and down in the marriage department, but it's been our friendship that kept us going.....and it's now the best it's ever been!

MA

 

[~Palomino~]

ABSOLUTLY! I agree with Sterling, there are less/no CAT fights!! my best friend is a girl!

-Gage-

 

[Minimor]

I'm another that says Absolutely!

 

[susanne]

Most of my best friends have always been guys. When Keith and I first got together, I told him that I had many great men friends and it wasn't going to change, and if he didn't like it -- tough. Of course, we are first and foremost best friends. I know many couples who love each other but are not best friends, but I could never handle that.

I grew up surrounded by 3 brothers (my sisters were older), so I was a tomboy and related more to climbing trees and riding bikes than dolls and dresses. Later, playing saxophone in band, I was surrounded by guys, especially in jazz band. So I guess it's only natural that I was most comfortable with boys and later men. I'm still buddies with and frequently get together with guys from high school and college...in fact, we're getting together with some old jazz friends this Friday.

That's a long way of saying YES, men and women can most definitely be friends!

 

[AppyLover2]

I'm really surprised that everybody agrees that men and women CAN be friends. I've never understood why people (the experts) say they can't. I'm like a lot of you, always had more male friends than female; from high school to my senior years. And I agree that they're a lot easier to deal with.

 

[SunQuest]

I'm really surprised that everybody agrees that men and women CAN be friends.  I've never understood why people (the experts) say they can't. 

Like everyone else here I think men and women can and should be friends as long as any significant others of the two know about it and approve of the friendship, and as long as both parties know that it is strictly a friendship thing that will not turn into anything else.

I wonder.... Would the answer to why the "experts" say they can't is because the experts normally only see people with issues? Those that are able to be friends with the opposite gender may not participate in the surveys or study programs because they don't feel there is a need to partcipate because they see this issue as one of common sense? I know that I would never have thought to even look into this issue as to me it is normal for everyone to have friends of both genders.