To ask whether pps have a) male friends b)close male friends

[Carla786]

I was recently reading a thread about the pros & cons of single sex schools. Personally, I went to one and I felt it was a good model, since joint activities with the boys' school and other extracurricular activities meant I could still befriend boys outside.
On the thread, quite a few posters were saying that going to a mixed school helped them make friends with boys, rather than seeing them as alien creatures and that it's negative if people are mostly friends with their own sex.
I agree in theory that people should try to have friends of the opposite sex. But otoh how typical is this for adult life? Studies show fairly high numbers for people in their twenties, but these lessen for married people, and are less likely to be 'close' friendships. And ofc there's various reasons for this : worry about male friends having other intentions, jealousy issues if married etc

Interested to hear thoughts..

I have male friends. I have two close male friends that I would meet for lunch or a beer one to one, and others that I’d be more likely to meet up in a group (like old uni friends, old colleagues etc). I’m happily married and DH has never been jealous.

I went to an all girls school but in my area in the late 1970s/early 80s there was no choice. DH went to a mixed comp. I vowed that my DDs would go to a mixed school because I loathe single sex schools. They went to a mixed grammar schools and both are now highly qualified STEM graduates.

My best friend is male (and married to the love of his life, largely thanks to me). My other friends are a delightful mix of male and female, straight and gay.

My DDs have a lovely mix of male and female friends of all persuasions. When any of us has a problem and needs to lean on our friends, none of us cares what they are, as long as they care about us.