Is it okay for married people to have close friends of the opposite sex?

In my perspective looking into married people stay close with their friends of the oppsite sex is acceptable to a large extent. Yes you are married, your status have changed but that doesn't mean you have to stop keeping in contact with your opposite sex friends. People have this perception, your spouses can fulfill your every need. Why there is a need to seek out someone else's company or atttention? They start feeling disloyal to their partner if they continue messaging their opposite sex friends to share jokes, tell a story, or seek words of comfort.

This could be the reason why once people are married they will start to lose their friendships. As mentioned in the article,Why don't they text, the writer she realised once she is married alot of her male friends start to lose contact with her. Even her soccer buddy who used to crack jokes have stopped messaging her. Maybe those male friends find inapproriate or improper to SMS a married woman, even their realtionship were purely platonic.

I agree with the article saying male friends may find improper to SMS a married woman, because his female friend have got married and own family. Her husband may think why this man keeping contacting her wife and misunderstandings may easily occur. However, if her husband request her wife to cut off ties with male friends who preceded him is unreasonable. It is approriate for the married woman to find her male friends to have a cup of tea, chit-chatting and even having a dinner together to keep up with one another. However, a clear line should be drawn between friends, chatting and sharing common topic of interest is approriate but if have gone beyond friends' intimacy level is too much.

A mutual trust between couples are essential. Relationship expert said in the article that it's crucial not to hide anything- including friendships- from your spouse. You are highly encourage to introduce your friends to your spouses, so he/she know who you are contacting with. Relationship expert also added that couples should make time for each other, make that time a priority. But also give each other enough space to fulfill their individual needs, and that mean the space to have friends, male and female.

In conclusion, we all need friends, whether you are single or married. Friendships are essential in our lives, this is human psychology. We need affectionate, care and concern.



From Ho Chee How