Just Friends? Just Friends.

          It's about time I get something off of my chest. My whole life, I've always had people telling me that men and women cannot and will never be "just friends." Well, I've lived a little longer and I've had plenty of friends and I am here to say just one thing to all those people: you're wrong. 

          Yes, there are certain people that can't be friends with the opposite sex, but to put everyone in that box is not only unfair, but illogical. Have we not gotten to the point where we have realized that putting people into the gender stereotype box doesn't work? We are past the point of saying that all women are emotional and all men are only interested in sleeping around. Do not pretend like these boxes exist anymore because time and time again they have been proven to be false.
          I'm not saying that sometimes men and women become friends only to develop feelings later on because that can totally happen. What I am saying is that it doesn't always happen. As a woman who has male friends, I can tell you that I've had both happen to me. I've entered into friendships with the intention of just being friend only to have the other person decide that they don't want to be just my friend. Needless to say, I'm not friends with those people anymore. BUT I have other male friends that don't feel that way and yes, we're still friends. It's possible and I know so because I've lived it. 
          Now let's talk about staying friends when one of you is in a relationship. Again, it's gone both ways. One girlfriend decided that I was an "inappropriate" friend to have just because of the fact that I'm a women. It should also be mentioned that she never spoke a single word to me, which means that she didn't know me. How you deem someone inappropriate without knowing them is beyond me, but let's move on to the other girlfriend. I have another friend who's girlfriend decided to get to know me. They're getting married soon and I'm one of her bridesmaids. See? That one worked out.
          So yes, men and women can be friends. No, maybe not all men and women can have friends of the opposite sex, but it's about time we stop saying that it just cannot happen. You put these notions in people's heads and the next thing you know, they think they have feelings for the other person, when they really don't. Don't put people in a box. Go forth and make friends!