If you set a goal and conduct a large-scale survey among your friends about friendship between representatives of opposite sexes, do not expect a universal answer and an accurate conclusion. There is still no answer to this question and it is not expected, but we will try to speculate on this topic. What is friendship in principle? This is a strong, trusting relationship based on mutual interests and personal sympathy, without sexual overtones. Is such a relationship possible between a man and a woman? Of course, only the sexual connotation becomes the main stumbling block, simply because nature intended it that way. But we remember that a person does not always obey instincts and/or can control them. Even a love or attraction that has arisen can be controlled if a person relies more on the intellect in life. True friendship between a man and a woman, of course, exists, but it is rare, as it has a number of significant disadvantages. Firstly, the vast majority of such stories are the relationship of a person in love with someone who friendzonizes him. And no, this is not a stereotype, this is reality. A person falls in love, but for some reason is afraid to openly communicate his feelings, or communicates, but receives an answer that he is considered only as a friend. After this, many decide to play “friendship” in order to stay close to their loved one. This is more of a painful attachment than a normal friendly relationship, and an attempt to argue with reality or maintain hope. Secondly, very many friends of the opposite sex sooner or later experience intimacy. Someone, during a period of loneliness, consciously resorts to the help of a “friend”. Such experiments often fail: someone falls in love, someone’s relationship goes south, and only a small percentage of friends continue the relationship as if nothing had happened. Thirdly, not many partners are ready to tolerate a friend of the opposite sex. This is probably the most important disadvantage, if we put aside the previous possible circumstances. In such relationships there is often jealousy, suspicion (justified and not), fear of losing a partner, and, consequently, clashes and scandals occur. A person finds himself “between two fires” and faces a very difficult and unpleasant choice. By the way, this is one of the points that must be taken into account when entering into a relationship: if your partner has a very close friend of the opposite sex, you need to honestly answer yourself whether you are ready for this (it’s like with children from previous marriages, you don’t need to hope that “ will resolve on its own,” then either accept it or not start a relationship at all). To summarize, we can say that friendship between a man and a woman is an option for very conscious people who know how to maintain boundaries, find compromises and balance between friend and partner, and who really truly love each other with brotherly-sisterly love. Do you believe in friendship between a man and a woman? Share examples from your life or the lives of people you know. Sign up for a consultation: WhatsApp, Telegram +7 913 380-83-42 Skype: as3808342 Learn to manage your emotions!💪