Can a man and a woman only be friends? Is it possible to maintain a platonic friendship without developing any kinds of feelings for each other? We believe having a best friend of the opposite gender is absolutely possible, and we have compiled a list of all the innumerable perks of having such a relationship in your life.
Image source: Pixabay, under Creative Commons License
Even though a lot of people haven’t managed to come to terms with the fact that a man and woman can be just friends, and even though for some people that is true, there is no reason why you should be one of them. There are multiple benefits of having people of the opposite gender as your best friend, and when you have an open heart and a unique friendship, there is nothing stopping you becoming each other’s best friends for life. Here are all the perks of having a best friend of the opposite gender.
Suggested read: 17 Awesome Things About Having A Best Friend Of The Opposite Sex
1. You get inside info on the opposite sex
Image source: Pixabay, under Creative Commons License
Having a best friend who isn’t the same gender as you is amazing, because you get secret inside information about the lives of men and women, and you can actually become an authority about it, which will make your other friends worship you. You won’t have to whine about not understanding women, or not understanding men, because you have your best friend to explain all the typical quirks of each gender to you. It is also hugely beneficial for your love life, and having such a best friend can solve a lot of your misunderstandings.
2. You platonic love is better than most relationships
Having an opposite gender best friend is amazing simply because of the platonic uncomplicated love that you share between the two of you. In fact, this bond that you share with your best friend is so strong that a lot of your friends who are in ‘happy’ relationships are jealous as hell and crave for a friendship like that with their lovers. You also get to evolve with age and time, and get accustomed to each other and understand each other better, making this the forever kind of friendship.
3. You have a backup husband/wife
Image source: Pixabay, under Creative Commons License
You know your best friend has got your back when you need to get out of a sticky situation. They are the permanent +1 in your life, wherever you go. Whether you get stood up to your date or to the movies, you can give you best friend a call. If you don’t have a plus one for a wedding, you know who to approach. If you want couple’s discount, you have a handy opposite gender personal person who can pretend to be anything you want them to, and you know you would do the same. Also, the promise that you will marry each other if you don’t find the love of your life in 68 years is always a standing offer.
4. They make the best wingmen/wingwomen
When you hit up the bar, or try to pick up a date, a wingman or a wingwoman is a must. Who better to tag along with you than your very own best friend, who will not only be your shoulder to cry on when you have been rejected by every single person you have approached, but also be the best person to introduce you to potential hotties, and smooth talk them into going out with you? They understand their own gender better, and they make you look like the best specimen of yours, making it an amazing, rewarding and one-of-a-kind arrangement.
5. You get access to their private worlds
Image source: Pixabay, under Creative Commons License
Information and the best kind of dating advice are all fine. When you have a best friend of the opposite gender, you get direct access to the world of the opposite sex, which you would have conventionally been excluded from. You are invited to boy’s nights and you can get a manicure with your BFF and enjoy the perks of both sides and get the best of both worlds when you have such a best friend. If that isn’t a perk, I don’t know what is.
Suggested read: Can Men And Women Be ‘Just’ Friends? Is It At All Possible?
6. Shopping your partner is easy as hell
Deciding what would make your significant other happy is a constant struggle that people have to face, because they can never seem to figure out what they would want. When you have an opposite gender BFF, this problem becomes obsolete, because you could simply check with them before spending all your money on something useless and pointless. You don’t have to worry about your partner liking it or not, because so many presents we give are gender-specific, and when you have an insider’s perspective of what would make their species happy, you get an A+ grade on your lover’s report card.
7. You can talk about everything on this planet
Image source: Pixabay, under Creative Commons License
There is a special sense of freedom when you can talk about gross, abusive and disgusting things with someone of the opposite gender, who is not your boyfriend, because you don’t have to worry about freaking them out. A best friend who is of the opposite gender is a god-send in such cases, because you can be extra graphic when talking with them. You don’t have to mince your words, or pretend to be something you’re not, because your best friend is as gross and shameless. There is no end to your discussions, and they are your forever go to person when you need to be your true, filter-less self.
8. You can expect 100% honesty
The best thing about best friends like this is that they will give you their 100% honest opinion, without worrying about offending you. This is truly the kind of honesty you need in your life, because if you look like a complete douchebag in that haircut, you need to be told so, and if you have lipstick on your teeth, someone needs to warn you beforehand. You can totally depend on your best friend for emergencies and opinions like these, when other people would worry about being diplomatic and careful about telling you what they really think.
9. There is legit no drama
Image source: Pixabay, under Creative Commons License
When you have same-sex friends, it can become difficult to deal with the constant drama and the silent fights and the brawls and the loud noises. With a best friend of the opposite sex, you can expect a hassle-free, low-maintenance, dependable, drama-free, causal relationship, where both of you love each other without being too detached or too clingy. There is no question of loyalty because you are of course, best friends, and there is no fight that lasts more than a couple of hours, before one of you apologize and go back to being BFFs forever.
10. You two are an example for society
For a horribly narrow-minded and regressive society who are determined to ship the two of you and get you two married and wolf-whistle every time you tell each other you love each other, your relationship is the human form of a middle finger to all those people. You have transcended the pettiness that is the friend-zone and you are so dangerously comfortable in each other’s presence that people are in awe of you wonderful and uncomplicated relationship. It is a truly trailblazing and inspirational statement that you make with your friendship.
11.You get invited to secret parties
Image source: Google, copyright-free image, under Creative Commons License
Irrespective of whether you want to go or not, you get invited to parties where people of the opposite gender are strictly forbidden. Whether it is a bachelorette party, or a boy’s nice, or a stag party or a baby shower, you have a best friend of the opposite gender without whom these conventionally gender-specific functions would be totally incomplete. You can do without them in these places because you love them more than half the other people you have invited, and everyone knows how tight the two of you are, so there are no protests either.
Suggested read: We Asked 30 People What They Would Do If They Were Turned Into The Opposite Sex For A Day
12. You have permanent access to potential dates
The perks just don’t end! When you have your girl squad or your boy’s gang, you are rather under-exposed to people of the opposite sex. However, when you are super thick with your best friend, who is coincidentally of the opposite sex, you have a permanent access pass to all of their available friends, and your best friend will of course do everything in their power to set you up. Also knowing that you will get a lot of excellent gossip about your best friend and your friend, you are actively involved in setting them up with whoever is available.
Having a best friend of the opposite gender is an experience that not many people can brag of having, but those that do have the privilege of having a best friend like this, have all said that it is the most amazing, rewarding, cherishable relationship to have. Here’s to platonic love and true friendships!
Featured image source: Pixabay, under Creative Commons License
Facebook
Disqus
Google + 
