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Friday 5 February 2010

CAN/SHOULD: FRIENDSHIPS BETWEEN THE SEXES?

Can women and men be friends? Furthermore, should women and men be friends?

Of course men and women should be friends and can be friends but let us get a little spicy and ask this question, can and should a married woman be friends with a single man? We have heard many times before that a man cannot be friends with a woman without some sexual tension playing a part in their friendship.

The fact that women are from venus and men are from mars is very true in the sense that both sexes have different needs in relationships. What a man gets from his male buddies--the games, the bonding over repairing and or building something in the home is very different than the relationship two women have including shopping and spa days. So then if the sexes have such different needs and interests how much differences are between a married woman and a single man who are friends?

The married woman is busy with her children, her husband, her friends and family and work. The single man is busy with work, friends and finding new adventures. Aside from perhaps the married woman sometimes wanting to find and have new adventures, her focus is on her family. Henceforth, it would be very confusing for a married woman to be friends with a single man. Friendships are very intimate and for a married woman to be in that type of relationship can be very dangerous.

A married woman can be friends with anyone that she chooses to be friends with. However married woman should not be friends with a single man due to her role as a mother, wife and the intimate nature of friendships so as not to place herself in a confusing situation. There are plenty of girlfriends to go around therefore we need to stick with them. Allow the single men to be unattached and allow them to befriends the single ladies.

Please comment

5 Remarks:

Rachel Cotterill said...

I'm afraid I have to disagree with you on this one - I don't think all M/F friendships involve sexual tension. I'm a married woman (without children), my husband is my very best friend, but we have plenty of single male friends (as well as single female friends and other married friends). It doesn't seem to cause any problems - but then I'd usually rather go hiking or camping than shopping, so perhaps I don't fit your mould of a typical woman ;)

Thanks for visiting my blog, and for such a thought-provoking post - nice to meet you :)

BLOGitse said...

I find this very odd.
I'm married, my husband is my best friend, we both have friends men and women. Nothing to do with sexuality and friendship.
Mars and Venus are generalizing men and women.
My husband is a man but he's not like you described here.
He's looking for deeper bond with his friends and loves to talk, discuss whatever the topic.

I hate shopping so I don't fit your picture of a woman...

"Allow the single men to be unattached and allow them to befriends the single ladies."
How about single men who happen to be our friends? We should stop seeing them?

I guess you mean something else...

BLOGitse

heather@actingbalanced.com said...

Have to say I agree with other commenters...I am a married woman with kids and friends who are male, female, married, single, with kids, without kids... I think that if you go looking for something more than friendship, you can find it I suppose... never needed to go that far

Danielle said...

I think it is a very thin line... I have a lot of guy friends, but all are married or are friends with my DH, and my DH also has a lot of friends who are female, but again most are married with kids and such.

I really think it depends on the person, and the friends.
It is a tough topic though.

Stoppin' by from SITS!

Dumb Mom said...

Guess I'm in the disagreeing camp..sorta?! I have a single male friend who I have had a strong relationship with since high school. Not my fault he couldn't land a wife! But, I'd hate to end our relationship simply because he's not the marrying type. Hubby is not friends with him (they are friendly, but not actually friends), he's straight, and we've never so much as touched hands so not sure why there would be a problem? I've not stayed in touch with many of my friends from that long ago so I'd hate to lose one simply because he's single.