“Ek Ladka Aur Ladki Kabhi Dost Nahi Ho Sakte” Let’s Stop These False Narratives

Opposite-sex friendships have always been suspected as society believes that a man and a woman cannot be just friends. While the notion was clearly the product of the patriarchal mindset to keep men and women from interacting and bonding on a platonic level, it has become more popular in the 21st century.

From movies to shows, we have always witnessed male and female friendships as a form of unrequited or failed love. There are always ulterior motives behind opposite sex friendships that are sometimes the reason for them being friends. Not to forget, the videos of the male best friend of a girl being the ultimate enemy of her partner are too many to ignore.

Male and female friendships were condemned in the past because of society's label that a 'good' woman does not talk to random men in the fear that they will ruin the family's dignity by falling for one of them. However, it is strange how such a repressive idea is prevalent in the 21st century and is questioning the intentions of being friends with someone.

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Friendship With Opposite Gender

A Reddit thread asked women on the internet whether a man or a woman can actually be friends. The thread questioned the idea that men or women cannot be just friends with the opposite gender and might have some lingering romantic feelings. Talking about this idea, a user wrote that if people cannot be friends with genders they are sexually attracted to then bisexuals will not have any friends at all.

They said that though there are people who make friends of the opposite gender with different intentions, there are also people who genuinely vibe and want a platonic and healthy friendship with them. It is not right to condemn all friendships just because a few of them were based on wrong intentions.

Another Reddit user wrote, "I think that's usually a sentiment held by men who don't view women as people. They can't comprehend having female friends they aren't trying to seduce, because they don't view women as having any value other than sexual." People think that everything a woman does, whether it is makeup, dressing up, gyming, weight-loss, sports, is for men to notice her.

These are the ones who believe that a woman can't be friends with a guy and not try to have a chance with him. This is disappointing as this makes women think twice before approaching a guy as they don't know what he might make out of her normal friendly gesture.

Sometimes, it is just that people who don't have normal friends of the opposite gender speak such things about others just out of their own experiences. They project their intentions and beliefs on others, hence suspecting all opposite gender friendships. It is true that you are attracted to the opposite gender but that does not mean you are attracted to each and every person of that gender.

There is more to romantic relationships than just anatomy and just because you vibe well with a person doesn't mean they are your potential partner.

The notion of male and female friendships is highly misunderstood. You can vibe and relate to any person irrespective of their gender. Not every friendship is based on a missed romantic chance, friend zone or unrequited love. People need to understand that there are people who realise that friends are just friends and nothing else, whether of the same or opposite gender. The feelings you have for friends are platonic and very different from what you want in a partner. It is better that people stop promoting ideas that make even the most normal and innocent interactions among friends sexual.