Of course—as long as there's no deception. Instead, it's important for her to be honest with her spouse so the friendship doesn't damage the marriage. If the spouse doesn't feel comfortable, then there should be a deeper conversation to address why they're concerned about the friendship.
The answer it: It depends. If your girlfriend is a woman of good character who is loyal and trustworthy, then okay. Having friends, both female and male, outside the relationship is quite normal and common for many couples.
Trust is ultimately what matters. If you have trust with your girl then it's totally fine for her to have a male best friend (under the right circumstances which we'll get into). And if the trust isn't there or has been broken, then you have to fix that before you worry about anything else.
Daily experience suggests that non-romantic friendships between males and females are not only possible, but common—men and women live, work, and play side-by-side, and generally seem to be able to avoid spontaneously sleeping together.
You don't have to lose your friendships, but you do have to demonstrate that your spouse's needs and your commitment to the marriage are more important. If you can, involve your spouse in the friendships, or build them into couple friendships.
Healthy Boundaries in Relationships
This means being clear and specific about what you need and what you're willing to accept, while also being willing to compromise and negotiate boundaries. It is important to note that boundaries are not meant to control or manipulate your partner.
As the visual implies, crossing a line means “stepping outside the bounds of the relationship,” says Earnshaw. Though this behavior can certainly reflect a purposeful step, it's also possible for that step to happen unintentionally, often as a result of lacking communication.
But is having a lot of male friends as a woman actually a red flag? A new study published in Personality And Individual Differences suggests that other women might think it is. Psychologically, both same-sex and cross-sex friendships have been shown to benefit our human and emotional development.
Jealousy is a normal emotion. It is okay to be jealous of your girlfriend's male buddy, a bit helpful too. A little competition is okay, it keeps you focused on your relationship, makes you try harder. There is a chance that he might be better-looking than you.
The higher a woman's sexual libido, the more likely she is to have more male friends. Not because she is having sex with them, but because women with higher sexual desire get along better with other men, and often, are seen to act more like guys.”
No, it is just you protecting yourself. If he finds out, he will probably think that you are cheating on him even though you aren't.
For me, yes. Many guys will agree. Men typically don't hang out with girls they don't secretly (or openly) want to get with. Which means that a girl with a lot of guy friends has a lot of potential threats around her to impede a new romance.
Overly controlling behavior is a common red flag in relationships. People that try to control your movements, decisions, or beliefs are more concerned about what they want than what is best for you. If a guy or girl tries to control what you wear or where you go, this could be a red flag.
Many married women enjoy male friendships, and there is nothing wrong with it per se, but a better question to ask yourself is whether hanging out with a male friend is the best decision for the health and longevity of your marriage.
Jessica Harrison, a licensed professional counselor and owner of Courageous Counseling and Consulting, says a lack of long-term friendships is a major red flag. "It shows that they have not been committed to growing in relationships, which takes time and effort on both friends' part," says Harrison.
Cause for Concern: Zero
It's possible to maintain platonic friendships with the opposite sex, but being in a relationship does change the rules. Just make sure you and your girlfriend are on the same page and set boundaries that work for both of you.
My recommendation, therefore, is that you don't make a hard and fast rule about whether your girlfriend can or can't hang out with any male friends. You have to go on a case by case basis. Your suspicions might be warranted. But, as a general rule, you should investigate suspicions, not trust them immediately.
It is normal to feel jealous at times. Accept how you are feeling and tell your girlfriend that you do feel a bit jealous and ignored when she talks to another guy. At first, she might give you a look that screams out, “What's wrong with you?”
Some girls have always been more comfortable playing with the boys and only have a couple of close girlfriends within a large circle of male companions. Many believe that female friendships bring drama, and that it's just easier to be one of the boys.
He is manipulative.
Manipulative behavior is a major red flag in men because it implies that they are trying to control you. Manipulation typically involves someone exploiting someone else's feelings or insecurities to get what they want. They might do this by making someone feel guilty or ashamed.
Whether flirting is considered cheating in a relationship depends on how both people feel about flirting and what the intent of the flirting is. Flirting that crosses either person's relationship boundaries repeatedly can negatively affect the couple in many ways.
Finding someone else attractive while in a relationship is an entirely normal phenomenon many people experience.