Esther Perel Instagram – When a woman’s place was stirring the pot around the fire and men were off hunting down the dinner, both sexes generally only came together for romance. Today, we go through life with more friends, boyfriends, and girlfriends than any generation before us. So how do we decide who will be what? I have male friends I’ve known since high school. In fact, ‘boyfriends’ came and went, but many of the ‘boy friends’ are still solidly in my life. The very fact that they were my friends meant I had absolutely no romantic feelings for them. Over the years, we’ve played many roles for each other: playmates, career counsellors, confidantes, and alibis. We’ve told each other what to wear, say, do, been there for weddings, child-induced sleepless nights, funerals and marital collapses. Some people truly believe that a friendship between opposite sexed is not really possible. They blame the inevitable X factor, while others claim jealously will rear its head when one of the two has a partner or gets married. Trust is key. Can women and men be friends? I answer with an unequivocal yes — with good communication, boundaries, expectations and an open mind. Our world has evolved so rapidly these last decades when it comes to gender, sex, and romance — opening up even more possibility and opportunity. I believe we’re blessed with the ability to weave many types of relationships and for me, friendship between men and women is a unique strand that needs to be valued highly. I’d love to hear your thoughts.