>A lot more of the female friends I made earlier in my life remained as friends than male friends I made. Most of the people I bet I could rely on happen to be

>A lot more of the female friends I made earlier in my life remained as friends than male friends I made. Most of the people I bet I could rely on happen to be women (met in writing/graphic design groups at university), but I wonder if these will last as I get older and people get into relationships. It's less easy to hang out with a woman one-on-one without it seeming like a date (for a man who is heterosexual). It can also cause jealousy on either side to stay close after pairing up with a romantic partner. I suppose it depends on how one defines a "friend" based on closeness. It's likely I'll keep in touch and maintain a friendly relationship with these people as we all grow older (as acquaintance-friends), though I doubt I'll ever reach the level of "close friends," for any woman besides a romantic partner.