Women often avoid intimately engaging with male acquaintances due to concerns that the man may misinterpret friendliness as flirtation or even sexual interest, said Eric M. In a pair of studies on the intimacy of interactions between over 200 heterosexual women and their male conversation partners, researchers found that the women had friendlier, more open interactions with gay men who disclosed their sexual orientation compared to men who revealed that they were straight. It’s a tale as old as time, or at least romantic comedies: girl meets guy, guy falls in love, girl realizes they really can’t “just be friends.” Research in Psychological Science suggests, however, that discussing matters of the heart can be the start of something beautifully platonic between the sexes – so long as the male isn’t interested in more.
