Chixe

I'm a guy who's friends consist of almost all women. In fact, it's fair to say that as far as friends with other guys, those tend to last a whole lot shorter than friendship with women.

I think for me at least, I break any sexual tension by making a big joke about it. Yes it's stereotypical to be the walking penis around women, but as long as they know you're no harm to them, I think everything works out well. For the most part though...sexual tension isn't even a issue worth mentioning.

Have you ever fallen for one of your female friends? Or have any of them fallen for you? How would you extricate yourself from such a situation then, Kami?

The greatest love of my life was my best friend. And I admit to having crushes on plenty of my female friends. I guess the same goes the other way, I do know that some of my females friends have had crushes on me. There were instances where they actually did have deeper feelings for me.

It's not unusual. In fact, if you just count it as something normal, most crushes fix themselves along they way. I admit to my crushes to my friends as soon as I have them. It doesn't kill the relationship. To my experience at least, it strengthens it somewhat.

Having a crush on someone doesn't mean there is tension there or it'll lead to places where flowers cost a bomb, but it simply means to me that there is something about the person you like. Once I put my finger on it, the crush resolves itself to a more meaningful relationship.

Also in admitting it at least for me, they know if I do silly things, most of them don't think it's weird, just cute, if there were such a word they'd describe it.

As for those that have feelings for me, there is no other way to let a person down. I mean, I've gone through it enough that I know how to let a person down as a perfect gentleman. But sometimes we have to remember that regardless of how nice you are in telling them that it's not going to progress anywhere, the possibilities of friendships ruined because of feelings unrequited is there.

The best you can do is give them some time to work it out on their own. Then go back to the reasons why you were friends to begin with.

You just have to remember that friendships are fluidic. You win some. You lose many. All you have to do is cherish the ones that mean something to you. Regardless of whether they are male of female, they are people that matter in your life and you should always do your best for the people that matter.

I think it depends on the people in the relationships. Just as some marriages work and some don't, and some friendships work and some don't, some of these male-female friendships work, while others do not.

For me personally, I'm rarely friends with females. One of my closest friends is a girl, but she's really it. We click, because we have so many similarities, but in general, I just find I have nothing in common with most women. Not be sexist (against my own sex, haha), but I find a lot of women are pretty emotional, and I'm just, well, not. I mean, I am, but not like most women I meet.

I find I click more with guys, because most guys seem to sort of have no boundaries on what they'll laugh at, what they'll say (and sometimes do), whereas I find a lot of girls seem to always be holding back out of some prim and proper "what's right in this social scenario" attitude. Yet if I want to laugh at someone falling down the stairs, I'm going to. (I will be nice enough to do it out of their earshot, however.) If I want to say something bad in a funny sort of way--the word "cunt" comes to mind (pun unintended, actually)--I am going to. I seem to offend a lot of females because of my personality being this way, and that's okay. Guys, however, have a great time with me, and I have a great time with them. Romance doesn't come into that, but friendship does.

As for have I ever fallen for a male friend or vice-versa, that'd have to be a "yes" for both. However, it's not been often, at least for me. I have found out later on that a lot of male friends have wanted more from me, but I think I'm pretty intimidatingly assertive, so nothing ever happened perhaps because of their fear and/or uncertainty. Ninety-nine percent of the time my going on to date others hasn't changed my friendships with those guys, though. (Only once did a friendship end because of my love for another.) Overall, though, live and let live, you know? I go on to try to help them find girls that suit them. Sometimes I'm good at it, sometimes I'm not.

I don't find any of this awkward, nor do I think it should be. Friendships are typically about meeting people with similar interests, world views, etc., not about their genitals. If I meet a girl I get along with, then we'll be friends. Same with a guy.

Doesn't have to be so polar, I don't think.

leliathomas hit the nail on the head.

There are male female relationships where sexual tension doesn't exist. There are also male female relationships where sexual tension exists, but on a low enough level that it doesn't create... rash decisions? It's always going to be up to the specific individuals involved. Every relationship has a different dynamic.

One thing that bugs me a great deal about your initial post:

or one of them gets involved in a relationship with another person anyway and can't continue the friendship.

What is that?! You're dating someone so now you have to get rid of your old friends? Isn't that something most people out grow in highschool? At best that's ridiculously childish, at worst that's a terribly unhealthy relationship.

What is that?! You're dating someone so now you have to get rid of your old friends?

@Ozone42: That happens more than you think. Or at least, I have had the unfortunate chance to live in that reality. I used to think that people grow out of that after high school, but that's not always the case. I grew up around people like that. As hard as it is, you get used to it and you keep looking for new friends who are worth the friendship.

This is a subject I have a lot of experience with, as I feel as though I've always gotten along better with males than females up until I became a mother four year ago.
I've had several male friends, and to be completely honest, it's easier to be keep male-female relationships at an "acquaintence" level. I have had several male BUDDIES that I'd go out drinking with and to the strip clubs with- there were never any heart to heart talks about having feelings that way, because we were just out in crowded places having fun- some people you run into are good for that kind of thing...just hanging out.
But, it never fails that once you start the heart to hearts and the time alone, you risk any sort of physical/sexual/emotional issues being involved, because you come to know the person on a higher level.
I have ONE very close friend named Dave. He and I talk about absolutely everything, we've slept over one another's houses, we know all the gruesome details about one another's lives. And though there is no physical attraction to him on my part, I used to find myself curious as to what it would be like should we ever kiss or become intimate with one another. I think it's just human nature to be curious of members of the opposite sex when you reach them on an intellectual and meaningful level. But in no way am I saying that male-female relationships cannot exist. I have a very productive and healthy relationship with Dave and I have for nearly seven years. :)

I don't think it should be influenced, but I've heard a lot of friends having problems with it unfortunately.

For myself, I've always liked better to hang out with the guys. Somehow I seem to fit better among them...

But really, it should all depend on who you are (and no jealousy!) and what interests you have that's brings you together as PERSONS. Despite the sex.

I had many male friends in my youth, for many years and it worked well with most of them, but of course, that was before we al got serious relationships....