Everybody needs a best friend of the opposite sex.
End of blog.
No seriously, I have always had a male best friend since K-5 and while it hasn’t always been the same guy, I have always loved having a male friend that I can rely on and be a 100 percent honest with.
Let’s face it, ladies, there are somethings you just can’t tell other female friends no matter how close you think the two of you are. I sometimes find it easier to be open and honest with my male BFFs than my female ones. My male bff is Showtime, I call him Showtime because – life is his stage and we are all supporting casts in his play. He is the kind of guy who brings fresh air to a stuffy room.
Yes, he’s a man and I’m a woman. We’re both heterosexual. We’re very good friends. And we’re not doing it – never have and, unless the sky starts raining cats and dogs, we never will. There are plenty of people in our circle of friends who find this unbelievable, weird, and highly suspicious. For decades society has debated whether men and women can truly be “Just Friends” . Well. my friends, I am here to put an end to the debate and to tell you that it is truly possible. Establishing boundaries and understanding the role in which you play in the friendship helps keep it healthy and drama free.
Male-Female friendships can be tricky, but both parties end up benefiting from the cross-gender friendship more than those who have same gender BFFs. What better way to understand the foolishness that sometimes comes out of your partner’s mouth, than to ask your BFF to translate! Its like having the inside scoop into your partner’s mind. A BFF of the opposite sex can make you hip to the wants and needs of your partner, and they can also cause major drama in your romantic relationships if you are not careful. Never compare your partner to your BFF, all that does is make their raging insecurities about your platonic friendship even more pronounced.
Showtime is one of the most important people in my life. I will never forget how he held me while I cried (Mississippi River length tears) inside of Taco Burrito King ( in Greek Town) over a failed relationship. And while I, to this day, give him hell for standing me up at Cedars Mediterranean Kitchen- he has always remained a faithful and patient friend. Qualities that ultimately make someone a Best Friend. It doesn’t matter that I am a girl and he is a boy.
This is a RedEye community blog. The views and opinions expressed in this post are solely those of the author and not those of RedEye or Tribune Company.






I love your blogs. Keep up the great work!