CMV: For women, lovers and friends are two separate, distinct categories. For men, they are intertwined.

So with all the talk on friends lately, I thought to share this.

My view is that, women, have their male friends, and male lovers(any male they have sexual interests or thoughts about, anything beyond platonic) in two distinct categories, which do not overlap. The way a woman thinks about a friend and a lover are very different. Granted, a man can move to the other category, but when he does the relationship changes.

For example, If a girl is really attracted to me, and while talking with her I put my arm around her, she will be turned on by that, she will view it as some sort of sexual advance. "Oh my gosh, he is bringing me in closer", or something to that effect.

If the girl views me as a friend, and I put my arm around here, she will just think it's like brotherly love or "Your such a good pal :)". Or, she might be creeped out by me touching her.

With men, any attractive woman is always a potential sexual interest. Now, a man might not be actively pursuing a female friend. However, if a female friend, ever approached a male friend of hers for sex, or in some suggestive way, he will always be turned on by it, and view it as sexual.

Overall, my view is that, women have a divider between male friends and male lovers, where actions between those two groups will be interpreted differently, but men will always interpret actions from women they find attractive the same, whether they are friends or not.