People can assume that a boy and a girl who really ARE just friends are more than that, especially in middle school and high school, when peers often tease boy-girl friends and make them feel uncomfortable.
I think it's really hard to have guy friends at a certain age. I had a lot in high school and college and even after, but many of them eventually hit a romantic snag somewhere along the way. Sometimes, though, friendships are deeper than that passing attraction. Those last.
What's challenging is that you are in uncharted territory. The ground is not solid beneath you, when a relationship is neither one thing or another. You have to rely on your intuition and experience, and tread carefully.
Yeah...platonic but not. So confusing. I love having guy friends, but it can get complicating. Thankfully right now all my guy friends are just that--friends--but I've had issues in the past with this kind of thing.
It's the age-old question (well, at least as far back as When Harry Met Sally): Can men and women truly be close friends? I think it's possible, but it definitely complicated, and like Dia says the challenge is that boundaries can become fuzzy or nonexistent and you're sort of creating them as you go. You can't just pretend that your guy friend is a girl with different body parts. It's different - physically and emotionally. I've always had close guy friends, and have experienced heartbreaking outcomes as well as amazing, enduring friendships. This aspect of Sweethearts kind of came out in the writing process - it wasn't something I'd planned to explore, but it interested me and still does.
What's challenging is when even YOU can't figure out what it is. When you're attached to a person so much and they're there all the time and its so easy to hang--and stupid relationships need a label, and emotions aren't logical or rational... and again, you can't figure it out.
But you can be good friends with boys--totally not an issue.
Jenna and Cam's relationship isn't really romantic, and it isn't really platonic. Sara asks, "What is challenging about that kind of friendship?" 
People can assume that a boy and a girl who really ARE just friends are more than that, especially in middle school and high school, when peers often tease boy-girl friends and make them feel uncomfortable.
ReplyDeleteI think it's really hard to have guy friends at a certain age. I had a lot in high school and college and even after, but many of them eventually hit a romantic snag somewhere along the way. Sometimes, though, friendships are deeper than that passing attraction. Those last.
ReplyDeleteWhat's challenging is that you are in uncharted territory. The ground is not solid beneath you, when a relationship is neither one thing or another. You have to rely on your intuition and experience, and tread carefully.
ReplyDeleteYeah...platonic but not. So confusing. I love having guy friends, but it can get complicating. Thankfully right now all my guy friends are just that--friends--but I've had issues in the past with this kind of thing.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI think both keep dipping in and out of the possibility and wondering. It's so hard!
ReplyDeleteIt's the age-old question (well, at least as far back as When Harry Met Sally): Can men and women truly be close friends? I think it's possible, but it definitely complicated, and like Dia says the challenge is that boundaries can become fuzzy or nonexistent and you're sort of creating them as you go. You can't just pretend that your guy friend is a girl with different body parts. It's different - physically and emotionally. I've always had close guy friends, and have experienced heartbreaking outcomes as well as amazing, enduring friendships. This aspect of Sweethearts kind of came out in the writing process - it wasn't something I'd planned to explore, but it interested me and still does.
ReplyDeleteWhat's challenging is when even YOU can't figure out what it is. When you're attached to a person so much and they're there all the time and its so easy to hang--and stupid relationships need a label, and emotions aren't logical or rational... and again, you can't figure it out.
ReplyDeleteBut you can be good friends with boys--totally not an issue.
Excellent topic
ReplyDeleteSome of my friend on www.RentAFriend.com
told me about this.
I think this is best!
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDelete