Can men and women be just friends?

[magissa]

hey guys im doing research on whether men and women can be friends without attraction getting in the the way. so if your over 18, heterosexual and have a friend of the opposite sex could you pleaseeeee do my online survey. hopefully we can finally get some answers!

thanks

http://www.media.swin.edu.au/surveyor/survey.asp?s=01237222228079097

 

[velvett]

Heaven knows I've asked that question many times before.

You've asked this before, no?

I still think they can if they start out as friends only and even if the relationship turns more sexual I still think it could happen not often but it's possible. Same thing goes for some divorced couples with children - I've seen some stay friends and have a good relationship with each other, their children and their new mates.

After years of think that you can be friends with someone you have dated before or someone that you shared an attraction with seems to be that one can not be friends not without someone being hurt. (Ditto for some divorced couples)

Then again like any relationship you have to work at it and friendship is not just something that is it's something you have to participate in.

This question has been asked a lot here and I'm sure it'll come up on a search.


Here's one for you to start with...

http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/showthread.php?t=312558

 

[RottenWillow]

I too have seen this question asked on EF before but I never responded.

I think the younger the guy the less likely he will be comfortable with having a strictly platonic relationship with a woman or girl to whom he is attracted.

That one sentance totally sums up my take on the subject.

 

[boscoe wilson]

I personally think it almost impossible, but I'm sure there are exceptions.

 

[FitFossil]

Well, it is for me, but then I'm female. I wonder if it's harder for men because they are genetically programmed to always be thinking about sex. Not that women don't, but it's much more of a constant driving force for men. Men's bodies are telling them "breed breed breed", but (most)women's bodies have built in selection criteria that must be met first, since we're the ones who'll be left holding the bag (meaning baby).

 

[boscoe wilson]

I think it is equally hard for some women. I think most male platonic friends are, as Chris Rock says, "trapped in the friend zone." They don't want to be there, and they don't know how they got there.

 

[lil nasty]

This is a great question for me....my husband has a good friend that is a knock out and sometimes I get a little worried because she just got a divorce. She also has an 18 mo. old little girl that he loves more than life! I trust him (we have been together for 18 years), I just feel if he is going to cheat he is going to cheat. I made a comment about him being in love with her and he didn't see her for 6 months, the problem is he missed 6 months of the babies life and he is the godfather.

 

[MissJanet79]

I think they can as long as they're NOT attracted to one another...but that's rare - usually at least one is attracted to the other. Like I've had my male friend for almost 6 yrs now. He got married since then but I know he's attracted to me - he's told me before. But I think it's fine as long as he knows his boundaries & I know mine! I'm content with the situation b/c I'm not attracted to him at all. He's like a big brother I never had!

 

[onyx]

Well most of my friends are men, and I have never had a problem with it and neither have they. I suppose it is in general because I have more in common with men (in terms of interests) than with most women so I sort of fit in better. I also work within a male dominated area so I am used to communicating with men and probably have about the same humour level so get along very well. I take no shit and give as good as I get (which I am able to take) so I suppose they respect me for it.