Can Men and Women be Just Friends?

A little over a hundred years ago, men and women didn't really interact. And when they did, it was all about getting down the aisle.  But as the times have changed and our society evolves, we've created more and more opportunities for the genders to mix.  And when they do, you have an opportunity for complications to arise. And that sticky part of friendships between men and women is what we're talking about today.

We look at the history of how men and women used to interact and then dig into what the science says about male and female friendships. All to answer the question at the core of every nineties RomCom: Can men and women be just friends? That's what you're in for today on Impolite Society.

Email us your impolite questions at rude@impolitesocietypodcast.com and visit our website for info about the show and your hosts Laura and Rachel.

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Sources:
Thomas Hardy and the History of Friendship Between the Sexes on JSTOR (slpl.org) 

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/men-and-women-cant-be-just-friends/

SPR443611 569..596 (bleske-rechek.com) 

Can men and women be just friends? - BLESKE - 2000 - Personal Relationships - Wiley Online Library

Sex Differences in Intimacy Levels in Best Friendships and Romantic Partnerships | SpringerLink 

09 SPR345650 (uoa.gr) 

Extramarital sex partners likely to be close friends, and men are more apt to cheat | Colorado Arts and Sciences Magazine | University of Colorado Boulder 

(PDF) On Being `Just Friends': The Frequency and Impact of Sexual Activity in Crosssex Friendships (researchgate.net)