Current culture has cast two roles for heterosexual males. The first is the family man, the most beloved of the pair. He is the sort settled in the suburbs with his sweetheart. The second is the player, that Hugh Heffner wannabe who beds the children of the night. Women end up with the first eventually, and the second every so often. But ladies, gentleman, can a straight man co-star alongside a woman without being her bad boy or better half?
Yes, the female friend, the patriarchal conundrum. It’s doubtful even feminists are eager to endorse such an endeavor. Destined to endure some difficulty the question thus arises, why bother?
Why have serious female friends? It’s an indie flick bound to go belly up; or at least end awkwardly when one of the two finds a mate. However it doesn’t have to. We’re all adults here, and what follows are a few reasons as to why having a babe whose britches you’re not trying to slide to the side is a good idea.
Men and women are different. The beauty of friendship is that you are permitted the space to be different without the pressure of conforming. Such space is not as easily found in the dating sphere. Courtship requires compromise, but friendship is far less demanding.
In addition to such freedom female friends provide you with honest insight. Not on how to win over the rest of their kind, but rather how it is they think and act in turn. If you have a female friend who feels at ease with you, she will talk about the world in ways you’ve never heard before. Her tongue will loosen and let you know that women aren’t as wound up as you’ve been led to believe. They’re interesting, intelligent and altogether enchanting. Sex isn’t requisite to garner and enjoy such blessed truths.
No, the female friend is not a cop-out or crutch. It is not a silly notion entertained by social misfits. It’s the means to enjoying life in a way that is as delightful as it is distinct. A romantic lead will come in time, a sexual one comes even easier if you’re eager, but a friend is a role all its own. Tough to cast but worthy of her screen time, she is the support deserving of statuesque accolades. Round the applause gents, it’s not all about action adventures with the boys. It’s not all about wife material and do-it-yourself porno tapes. Sometimes it’s a buddy flick, and sometimes your co-star’s got a pair of guns only she can handle.
