To many men there are two types of women

[Bobthebuilder123]

That to many men there are two types of women - the ones you find attractive and have potential with and the types that aren't. And, if your male friends talk often about the women in the first category in your presence, they are indirectly telling you that you are in the second category.

Happy to be told iabu but interested in testing this theory as have noticed a real upswing in conversation about how good looking various women are when I am with them which leaves me feeling quite bad about myself.

I am not going to be spending time with these people anymore and am otherwise fairly resilient but interested in views nonetheless

I don't have platonic male friends (other than my partner's friends and the partners of my friends) but the analogy I would make is if I talk to a female friend about the attractiveness of another woman, is that not the same thing?

I think it more likely OP that you are seen as "one of the lads" rather than as unattractive. You are overthinking this.

Surely they are friends with you because they don't fancy you? If they fancied you they would have asked you out.

"One of the lads" usually comes about by being unattractive to be fair. From experience. Sob. Any attractive "one of the lads" are not "one of the lads". They are potential lady friends.

I suspect that the men you know are not particularly nice men, and not particularly thoughtful people.

I think you need to forget all that and look at why you seek the attention and validation and approval of men.
You really don't need to feel that way, you are valid the way you are don't give other people such control over your emotions and self esteem, accept yourself for who you are.
You're just the way you're meant to be.

That sounds the wrong way around! Men talking about how horny they are whenever you turn up'!

It could be that you are out their league...

Men who put women into categories like this are usually misogynistic arsewipes who seem oblivious to the notion that women could actually be people.

I think you've made the right choice by choosing not to spend time with them any more. Try hanging around with men who see you as a person who happens to be a woman, not a woman who may or may not be "fuckable".

My best friend is a woman I've known since primary school. I honestly don't recognise what you're saying. Men just talk a lot of crap most of the time without much thought.

Hmm overthinking slightly maybe but generally a grain of truth, but I don't think that's just a man thing. If you find someone attractive then you perhaps wouldn't strike up conversations with them about how you find people attractive - you'd probably be afraid of ending up sounding flirty or coming on to them. With people in the friend zone who you DON'T have that undercurrent of fancying with, you feel more comfortable in having those conversations.

But OP's mistake is in thinking that these two groups are possibly roughly the same size and on one side are the fragrant Beautiful Ones who everyone wants to admire and on the other side are the slab-faced trolls who may as well be furniture as the blokes stare past them towards Arcadia. No! Just like women, said blokes probably enjoy spending pleasant times with colleagues and friends male and female (none of whom they fancy) as much if not more than chatting up the beauties. It's just nice to talk about it sometimes, a pleasant topic of conversation.

I have plenty of male friends I like a lot, don't fancy, and would prefer to spend an evening with than surrounded by beautiful men I don't know.