WomenCo.

I think men and women can be friends if they engrave deeply in their minds that they wont ever let any other feelings get in the way of their friendship.I think if this is clearly understood by both individuals ,then there can exist a great friendship between them.

Most men can't. Women might be able to.

I would be lost without my male friends, they are a big part of who I am and how I grew up. I have been married 5 years now and I am not as close to them as I was before but their friendships are still very important to me and most of the time I end up being close friends with their wives and girlfriends. I see how the situation can get out of control but my male friends are like my brothers. I work in an office with 150 people and I enjoy being around the guys in the my office. They are all really nice, funny people. I think the male/female relationship is healthly for everyone to have.

I think it's offensive to suggest that men and women can't be friends, frankly. That would discounting an entire half of the human race as being solely motivated by carnal pleasure. Yes, men often fit that stereotype, but that's all it is: A stereotype.

I would think it sad if my son had no real female friends; and the same goes for my daughters. Look at how children play when they're young! It is in our nature to have friends of both sexes. Who would want it any othe rway?

Men and women, in my opinion, can be friends. My best friend for a while was a guy, and we deployed to Iraq together(we were in the same unit, down to the same section) and nothing happened between us. On the other hand, when our spouses tried to be friends and support each other while we were gone, they got a little too supportive. I divorced my husband but my friend stayed with his wife. I guess it all depends on the two people who want to be friends, and knowing nothing will come of it romantically.

Most of my friends are male and this has been so since high school.   I always think that I should have been born a male as my mom gave birth to seven girls and no boys, this lead me to be a "tom boy" during childhood.  My male friends were very protective of me and never tried to make sexual advances at me. The relationship I enjoyed with my male friends was so special, that when I became an adult I could not differentiate between a man wanting a sexual or a social relationship. Therefore, I can testify to the fact that men and women can be friends without a sexual attachment.

I have 3 friends that I consider very good friends/best friends, and 2 of the 3 are women. One I have been interested in perhaps dating, but she isn't ready for that and I have never pushed the matter. It is more important to me to have a good friend that I can trust and spend time with. I believe that any good personal relationship, romantic or otherwise has a foundation in friendship.

Archangel says ...

 I would say that anyone that says men and women *cant* be friends .... that that's bullsh#t. however, that depends on the type of man the guy is.  

granted some of us guys have female friends that making a pass at seems almost incestuous because no matter how attractive she is- the girl is like  your sister. Ive got friends like that. I also have female friends that im just simply not attracted to. Just arent. 

Ive got female friends that are gorgeous, beautiful women- that im attracted to no less- that are good friends of mine. Its all a matter of perspective. Just because im attracted to some of my female friends doesnt mean i am going to be trying to screw them- that's bad form on more fronts than one. I mean really- hell.... if i did everythign that crossed my mind.... id probably be in jail.  ha ha. But sometimes its like this: Just because you could / can- doesnt mean that you should. Its like having a ferarri that'll go 120... just becuase you have one- doesnt mean you should do it on the interstate.   

Its not difficult even if you've got beautiful female friends that you are attracted to. (at least for me its not) For me, its simply this: it is simply not an option. You dont hit on your friends..... we all may flirt off an on (more humorusly than anything) but that's it. Like i said its simply not an option- in the way flying like superman simply isnt an option. lol. When I look at it like that- its somethign that you just dont think about. Unless you are given a reason to- but that is a different topic entirely. 

Ive never seen women (friends) simply as some chick ive not slept with yet. That's f#cked up on more levels than i have ladders for. Maybe some guys look at em like that. i know a couple of my buddies do... i just shake my head and continue to be amazed that someone can be like that....either they're my friends or they're not- sex has nothing to do whith whom im making friends with. 

 

I knew I was friends with you for a reason!  You're awesome, Stace!

Daniela says ...

I always hated "When Harry Met Sally" because the film's entire premise was to invalidate the possibility of genuine friendship between men and women. I was raised in a household of only brothers, I even only had male cousins. My male friendships constitute a great number of the closest relationships in my life, and I couldn't do without them

I was thinking just about exactly that -- it's a tired, old argument -- that doesn't hold water -- I couldn't do without mine either.