---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Men and women can be friends, and it can…"
description: "\"Men and women can be friends, and it can just be friendly.\" — Jonathan Van Ness"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cdb/jonathan-van-ness-6662_friendly_men-and-women-can-be-friends-and-it-can_2499348.jpg"
---

#  Men and women can be friends, and it can just be friendly.

![“Men and women can be friends, and it can just be friendly.” quote by Jonathan Van Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cdb/jonathan-van-ness-6662_friendly_men-and-women-can-be-friends-and-it-can_2499348.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cdb/jonathan-van-ness-6662_friendly_men-and-women-can-be-friends-and-it-can_2499348.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cdb/jonathan-van-ness-6662_friendly_men-and-women-can-be-friends-and-it-can_2499348.jpg)

> “Men and women can be friends, and it can just be friendly.”

[Jonathan Van Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-van-ness/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Friendship between genders can be purely platonic, free from romantic expectations.

**In simple terms:** Men and women can be just friends.

Key Takeaway

Accept platonic friendships without pressure.

Themes

friendship gender platonic boundaries social norms

Mood

open supportive

Type

social cultural

When to use this quote

- workplace
- social circles
- community groups
- online forums

Key Concepts

gender dynamics social expectations emotional support

Questions to Reflect On

- What assumptions hinder platonic friendships?
- How can we normalize cross‑gender platonic bonds?

A Different Perspective

Society often questions platonic bonds.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Friendly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendly/) [Friends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friends/) [Friends Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friends-just/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just/) [Just Friendly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just-friendly-1045234/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Men and women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-and-women/) [Men Women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-women/) [Women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/women/) [Women Friends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/women-friends/)

## Related quotes

> [We're not dating," Alec said again. "Oh?" Magnus said. "So you're just that friendly with everybody, is that it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/we-re-not-dating-alec-said-again-oh-magnus-said-so-you-re-just-that/)

[Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/)

> [Remember that although they may speak a different language, they are still the same kind of people as the folks you know at home,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-byam/remember-that-although-they-may-speak-a-different-language-they-are/)

[Wally Byam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-byam/)

> [I'm just a friendly person; that runs in my family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/i-m-just-a-friendly-person-that-runs-in-my-family/)

[Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/)

> [I'm just a friendly bystander who they occasionally ask questions of. That's my level of involvement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-sebold/i-m-just-a-friendly-bystander-who-they-occasionally-ask-questions-of/)

[Alice Sebold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-sebold/)

> [I love women. I get along with women more than men, and I have more women friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alber-elbaz/i-love-women-i-get-along-with-women-more-than-men-and-i-have-more/)

[Alber Elbaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alber-elbaz/)

> [They say men and women can't be friends, but that's not true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginnifer-goodwin/they-say-men-and-women-can-t-be-friends-but-that-s-not-true/)

[Ginnifer Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginnifer-goodwin/)

> [The idea that if people are just friendly and demonstrate they want peace, that will be answered with good will - that is really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayaan-hirsi-ali/the-idea-that-if-people-are-just-friendly-and-demonstrate-they-want/)

[Ayaan Hirsi Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayaan-hirsi-ali/)

> [Hugh Jackman is just as friendly as everyone says.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-skinner/hugh-jackman-is-just-as-friendly-as-everyone-says/)

[Hugh Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-skinner/)

> [I'm just very friendly by nature. And even when I'm having lunch with a friend, it's misconstrued as a romantic liaison.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dino-morea/i-m-just-very-friendly-by-nature-and-even-when-i-m-having-lunch-with/)

[Dino Morea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dino-morea/)

> [Wherever we go, in a restaurant or on the street or on a ski hill or even travelling, people come up to see us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-gregoire-trudeau/wherever-we-go-in-a-restaurant-or-on-the-street-or-on-a-ski-hill-or/)

[Sophie Gregoire Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-gregoire-trudeau/)

> [Men and women study things differently, and it's not because of our chromosomes. It's a product of our cultural conditioning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hope-jahren/men-and-women-study-things-differently-and-it-s-not-because-of-our/)

[Hope Jahren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hope-jahren/)

> [For me, men and women are different. A man is genetically gifted to pull more than a woman. But at the same time, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kajol/for-me-men-and-women-are-different-a-man-is-genetically-gifted-to/)

[Kajol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kajol/)

> [Men and women shop very differently, and where women are open to edgy, conceptual looks, very, very few men are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bastian/men-and-women-shop-very-differently-and-where-women-are-open-to-edgy/)

[Michael Bastian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bastian/)

> [It's funny about men and women. Men pay in cash to get them and pay in cash to get rid of them. Women pay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hedy-lamarr/it-s-funny-about-men-and-women-men-pay-in-cash-to-get-them-and-pay-in/)

[Hedy Lamarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hedy-lamarr/)

> [Men and women shop differently. Men know what they want before they see it. Women don't know what they want until they see it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/men-and-women-shop-differently-men-know-what-they-want-before-they/)

[Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/)

## More by Jonathan Van Ness

> [Even though I'm a hairdresser and I love doing hair, I feel like I don't look like a groomer. When I think of how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-van-ness/even-though-i-m-a-hairdresser-and-i-love-doing-hair-i-feel-like-i-don/)

[Jonathan Van Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-van-ness/)

> [If I could only have one grooming tool, it would be floss. I don't want to have broken Cheetos in my teeth. To protect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-van-ness/if-i-could-only-have-one-grooming-tool-it-would-be-floss-i-don-t-want/)

[Jonathan Van Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-van-ness/)

> [One of my closest friends is a trans man who is incredible. And a lot of my clients are trans women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-van-ness/one-of-my-closest-friends-is-a-trans-man-who-is-incredible-and-a-lot/)

[Jonathan Van Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-van-ness/)

> [I think that because I struggled and did get very bullied, that definitely made me learn how to be funny and let things roll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-van-ness/i-think-that-because-i-struggled-and-did-get-very-bullied-that/)

[Jonathan Van Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-van-ness/)

> [Typically, you're not gonna find me out at night; I don't go to industry parties. Like, I will go sometimes if I'm invited, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-van-ness/typically-you-re-not-gonna-find-me-out-at-night-i-don-t-go-to/)

[Jonathan Van Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-van-ness/)

> [My biggest secret is that I don't over-wash my hair. I wash it twice a week at the most, unless I'm on set every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-van-ness/my-biggest-secret-is-that-i-don-t-over-wash-my-hair-i-wash-it-twice-a/)

[Jonathan Van Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-van-ness/)

> [God, I miss TLC.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-van-ness/god-i-miss-tlc/)

[Jonathan Van Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-van-ness/)

> [If you're feeling a little down, you're never fully dressed without a strong heel. But only if you're depressed - if you need a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-van-ness/if-you-re-feeling-a-little-down-you-re-never-fully-dressed-without-a/)

[Jonathan Van Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-van-ness/)

> [Coming from a town of 30,000 people on the Mississippi River, having 'Queer Eye' in 2003 through 2007 when I was in high school was really important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-van-ness/coming-from-a-town-of-30-000-people-on-the-mississippi-river-having/)

[Jonathan Van Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-van-ness/)

> [I think that the ideal of men's physiques in general, gay or straight, is one of the most under-talked-about things ever. Ninety-five percent of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-van-ness/i-think-that-the-ideal-of-men-s-physiques-in-general-gay-or-straight/)

[Jonathan Van Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-van-ness/)

> [I used to be pretty hard on myself, like, if I didn't like a haircut I did on someone, I would think about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-van-ness/i-used-to-be-pretty-hard-on-myself-like-if-i-didn-t-like-a-haircut-i/)

[Jonathan Van Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-van-ness/)

> [I went from being pretty fit to 230 lbs., which isn't, like, the biggest for being 6-feet-tall, but I had been 165 lbs. just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-van-ness/i-went-from-being-pretty-fit-to-230-lbs-which-isn-t-like-the-biggest/)

[Jonathan Van Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-van-ness/)

> [So often, grooming is meant to make you feel better about yourself, and a lot of times, we use it to make ourselves feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-van-ness/so-often-grooming-is-meant-to-make-you-feel-better-about-yourself-and/)

[Jonathan Van Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-van-ness/)

> [I remember saying I wanted to be a cosmetologist when I was really young.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-van-ness/i-remember-saying-i-wanted-to-be-a-cosmetologist-when-i-was-really/)

[Jonathan Van Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-van-ness/)

> [I've worn a 100% polyester cheerleading outfit in stadiums full of people - it is pretty hard to embarrass me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-van-ness/i-ve-worn-a-100-polyester-cheerleading-outfit-in-stadiums-full-of/)

[Jonathan Van Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-van-ness/)

[Explore all 98 Jonathan Van Ness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-van-ness/)

## More Friendly quotes

> [Americans are very friendly and very suspicious, that is what Americans are and that is what always upsets the foreigner, who deals with them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/americans-are-very-friendly-and-very-suspicious-that-is-what/)

[Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/)

> [she got a reputation for an easy smile and a sharp tongue, and using one to balance the other, she seemed friendly but distant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-allison/she-got-a-reputation-for-an-easy-smile-and-a-sharp-tongue-and-using/)

[Dorothy Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-allison/)

> [The most fundamental question we can ever ask ourselves is whether or not the universe we live in is friendly or hostile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-most-fundamental-question-we-can-ever-ask-ourselves-is-whether-or/)

[Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/)

> [“Water is so friendly when you have it on your palms, but so evil when they have you on theirs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/water-is-so-friendly-when-you-have-it-on-your-palms-but-so-evil-when/)

[M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/)

> [International friendly games are not worth the lives of the silk worms who perish to make the pennants. They do not even have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-baker/international-friendly-games-are-not-worth-the-lives-of-the-silk/)

[Danny Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-baker/)

> [We have reiterated on many occasions that China wishes to establish and develop long-term, good-neighbourly and friendly relations with all countries in south Asia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/li-peng/we-have-reiterated-on-many-occasions-that-china-wishes-to-establish/)

[Li Peng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/li-peng/)

> [A girl who would fall in love so easily or want a man to love her so easily would probably get over it just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-girl-who-would-fall-in-love-so-easily-or-want-a-man-to-love-her-so/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I think Diana was a very friendly person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-corrin/i-think-diana-was-a-very-friendly-person/)

[Emma Corrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-corrin/)

> [I'm very friendly and nice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-beecham/i-m-very-friendly-and-nice/)

[Emily Beecham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-beecham/)

> [Hey Sydney," she said, giving me a small, crooked smile as she entered the room. Her flashing, dark eyes were friendly, but they were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/hey-sydney-she-said-giving-me-a-small-crooked-smile-as-she-entered/)

[Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/)

> [Dave Wann's recipes from his own experience in Simple Prosperity are a breath of fresh air, and just what we need for a saner…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hazel-henderson/dave-wann-s-recipes-from-his-own-experience-in-simple-prosperity-are/)

[Hazel Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hazel-henderson/)

> [I did a ski festival in Austria once. I was struck by how friendly Austrians were, before gradually realising it's more that Glaswegians are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frankie-boyle/i-did-a-ski-festival-in-austria-once-i-was-struck-by-how-friendly/)

[Frankie Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frankie-boyle/)

> [Be friendly it makes life more interesting by respecting the color of each person you'll going to encounter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernajoy-vaal/be-friendly-it-makes-life-more-interesting-by-respecting-the-color-of/)

[Bernajoy Vaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernajoy-vaal/)

> [When you stroll through Munich it can happen that you suddenly stand in front of an old house, an idyllically-dreaming church that smiles like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-goebbels/when-you-stroll-through-munich-it-can-happen-that-you-suddenly-stand/)

[Joseph Goebbels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-goebbels/)

> [Once I got a guitar that was relatively user-friendly, but not super-duper easy, I really came on as a guitarist, at that point. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-page/once-i-got-a-guitar-that-was-relatively-user-friendly-but-not-super/)

[Jimmy Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-page/)

[Browse all 1,330 Friendly quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendly/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Men and women can be friends, and it can just be friendly.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Jonathan Van Ness"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-van-ness/men-and-women-can-be-friends-and-it-can-just-be-friendly/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Friendly"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-van-ness/men-and-women-can-be-friends-and-it-can-just-be-friendly/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cdb/jonathan-van-ness-6662_friendly_men-and-women-can-be-friends-and-it-can_2499348.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cdb/jonathan-van-ness-6662_friendly_men-and-women-can-be-friends-and-it-can_2499348.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cdb/jonathan-van-ness-6662_friendly_men-and-women-can-be-friends-and-it-can_2499348.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Men and women can be friends, and it can just be friendly.” — Jonathan Van Ness",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Jonathan Van Ness",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-van-ness/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Men and women can be friends,...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-van-ness/men-and-women-can-be-friends-and-it-can-just-be-friendly/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-van-ness/men-and-women-can-be-friends-and-it-can-just-be-friendly/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
