Can Guys and Girls Be “Just Friends”?

I don’t know about you, but when I’m engaging gender issues–even serious ones–I try to keep things in perspective. It’s good to be able to laugh at things that are just plain funny as we explore complex issues. It can be easy for all parties, from varying perspectives, to lose a sense of humor in conversations about elemental matters.

The video above is a classic in my book (I’ve referenced it before). A couple of young interviewers on a college campus asked men and women whether they can be “just friends” or not, or whether romance uninhibitedly creeps into the picture. The responses fall along two lines: most of the girls indicate that the sexes can be “just friends,” while most of the guys say they can’t.

There’s some talk of “hooking up” in the video, which isn’t cool, but overall this is a very funny and lighthearted take on the strange and ever-complicated interaction between men and women.