By Chinwe Uzoechi
In many cases, the answer is no. Sometimes that is good thing, when both People see friendship as a step to mutually-satisfying love, sex, and/or commitment. At other times, men and women cannot be “just” friends because only one friend desires something more.
Those mismatched desires between men and women lead to unequal friend zone situations, where one person’s needs are completely satisfied at the other’s expense. Those unfortunate instances and the frustrations around them are the friendship problems we hear so much about.
Nevertheless, friendship between men and women is not impossible. However, it does require finding someone with friendship goals matching your own.
Communicating clearly and leaving when there is not a match key. Also, if you desire “just friends”, then it may be better to pick only friends who are already in other romantic relationship.
That way, you can have a satisfying exchange, a good friend, and no frustration.
On a second note, a man and a woman can be just friends if they are rooted in the lord; that is if they are true ‘believers ‘That way they know their limits, they see each other as siblings in the lord though. That is the only way a man can have a woman as just friend and maintain it.
However, research has shown that men get sexually attracted easily than women, but here is what the ladies think.
Franca: A man and woman can be just friends but not for a very long time, because as they stay on in years, one of them must start developing feelings for the other, especially as they normally spend time together and all of a sudden either of them has a lover, it will be difficult for the other to adjust with that. In many occasions, the guy is always the one that feels that way, so it doesn’t last if you ask me.
Chigozie: I could remember when I was young, my mum normally tells me that a boy and a girl cannot be friends with the illustration that goat and yam don’t stay together. So I grew up with that mindset . I have seen most of my friends that engage in such just a friend relationship with guys but they ended up in a romantic affair.
Lynda: There is nothing that is impossible, my bible tells me so; I think it takes a God fearing person to achieve that. If you know who you are and know where you are going, you won’t just settle with anyone around you, so a man and a woman can be just friends if they are rooted in the Lord aside that, nothing positive will come out of such relationship.
Chika: A man and a woman can be just friends, that does not mean they will not have feelings for each other, but by understanding themselves, they can conquer that. So I will say it’s all about understanding.
Amanda: I think both can be friends but on one condition that both will not be friends to whom they consider beautiful or handsome. In other words, if for example, you are short in height and you know you will never end up with one that is short too, you can be just friends with such person knowing that  come what may you will not have anything to do with such person in terms of marriage or the likes.
Hannah: They can be just friends if the girl has a girlfriend and the guy also has one, that way there will not be any room for any intimacy rather than friendship, but in many occasions, the guy ends up having feelings for the girl, most times because the guy’s girlfriend cheated on him, the next person he runs to is his friend, most times on consoling hims it results to something else.
If you have a different view about this, you can send in your comments via the address above.
