Can a man and a woman really be just friends?

[Anonymous]

Is this possible or do romantic feelings develop over time?

[Anonymous]

Of course they can be friends.

[Anonymous]

Not easily, unless one is gay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not easily, unless one is gay.

How about coworkers?

[Anonymous]

I have some male friends but we are not close like girlfriends are, or used to be.

[Anonymous]

Yes, but honestly I only made close male friends before marriage; since then it's maintenance of those old friendships, and maybe friendly co-workers/spouses of friends.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is this possible or do romantic feelings develop over time?

Everytime a guy says this, I tell him about majoring in Computer Science and they immediately back off and say women aren't interested in misogynists and those guys get "friend-zoned". All qualms about "feelings develop"ing over time vanish.

Sounds like this guy is too much of a wuss to ask you out and is testing the waters with you. I suggest you cut him from both friendship and romance. He's sounds dishonest and pushing his propaganda.

[Anonymous]

Yes, I have male friends who are married or in long term relationships. People are people. You can be friends with anyone if you have enough common interests and shared values.

[Anonymous]

I have good guy friends, however, I always maintain the typical emotional boundary that guys maintain with each other and I never ever have drinks alone with them.

[Anonymous]

For sure although just know that many men are down to escalate to sex if you let them. Even married men, especially married men because they tend to be the ones who seem the most sex starved

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have good guy friends, however, I always maintain the typical emotional boundary that guys maintain with each other and I never ever have drinks alone with them.

That’s bizarre… they can’t be close friends if you can’t drink with them, can they? I have drinks with my guy friends. In general I don’t drink so much and neither do they, but I’d think nothing of having a drink at dinner with them or going to a bar.

[Anonymous]

In theory, yes, but in reality, one usually has or develops romantic hopes or feelings for the other eve if they never verbalize it to that person

[Anonymous]

43yo woman here. One of my two closest friends is a guy. We grew up together, and he is like a brother to me.

[Anonymous]

No not really. You can be acquaintances at best, or friends in a group or as couples. Men don’t want a close 1:1 woman friendship. They just don’t.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No not really. You can be acquaintances at best, or friends in a group or as couples. Men don’t want a close 1:1 woman friendship. They just don’t.

See, this is sexist. It's like thinking homosexuals present in one way, and heteros in another. People are people and you will get various personalities associated with various genders and sexual orientations.