comment: >
  
  She's 56, it's more of a generational culture thing
context: wow. an unpopular opinion finally graced this sub >
  
  An unpopular opinion that doesn't sound made up >
  
  It's definitely her real opinion, and it's definitely unpopular. 
  Maybe at a certain point, your life partner should be your best friend, ya know? 
  But the idea that a platonic friend can't be opposite gender is beyond stupid. Are bi people and nonbinary people just not supposed to have friends at all? Seems to me the real issue is whether you want to keep true to any promises of monogamy, or not. >
  
  Obviously this woman doesn’t believe bisexual and nonbinary people exist.  She’s 56 and obviously very conservative. >
  
  And she obviously doesn't trust her husband - or he doesn't trust her - despite her claim that they have trust and it's just about "respect." >
  
  I just don't get it. I get feeling some level of wariness, maybe insecurity, at times, but there's a point where it's all just beyond irrational and it doesn't even make sense to be in the relationship. It seems like a miserable way to interact with people.
  Lol @ "respect." For those of us that trust our partners and don't think we own our partners, we aren't disrespected by them interacting with other people. She's really telling on herself, there. >
  
  Jokes on her, I cheat with my male friends. >
  
  I'll be home in a few hours honey, just watching the ballgame. >
  
  Just building an art room for my bros... >
  
  OP. 
  I’ve gone back and forth on this a lot over my life. The best advice I can give you is that it’s entirely case dependent and you can’t generalize. 
  There’s a lot of guys who are friends with a girl to get with them. There are a lot of girls who keep a guy around as another option. There are a lot of guys and girls (and non binary folks) who do neither and just have friends that they considered genuine siblings. 
  The only rule that one should follow is - you know your partner so don’t put them in a position where they have to be uncomfortable with you. Maintain a decent enough boundary with people who you yourself and your partner are/aren’t ok with and live your lives.
  If you or your partner cheats because of their friend of the opposite gender; they’re a shitty partner. If they make you feel uncomfortable for asking for boundaries; they’re a shitty partner.
  I conclude with the reality that boundaries are a two way street. I know a lot of religious guys that say their SO can’t have male friends, but still hang out with women who’ve expressed the desire to get together. I’ve seen women get angry at a guy for talking to a girl, and have 3 backups. Neither is ok. 
  Just live your life and dw >
  
  Personally as a straight dude I like to keep a bunch of girls as friends because they are very caring and rational. Whenever I go to a girl with my problems they always have much more fulfilling advice than my guy friends. I'm not even attracted to most of them they just get me more than guy friends >
  
  Also, having platonic  girl friends is a great way to screen out bad apples when dating. 
  As a guy I miss a lot of red flags that girls pick up right way. I also miss a lot of positive signals that girls put out, so having some "translators" was really helpful. >
  
  my male friends did this for me with men, they saw all the red flags. >
  
  One time, it was just a bracelet. 
  My girl friend: "She's got a sugar daddy"
  Me: "What makes you say that?"
  Friend: "No girl buys jewelry like that for herself."
  Me: "Maybe a gift from family?"
  Friend: "When's the last time you bought your sister a $400 silver Tiffany bracelet with a heart and arrow on it?"
  Me: "Maybe it was from a previous relationship?"
  Friend: "That bracelet came out this season, dude. That's a romantic gift, and she didn't say no. What's her name?" (Searches Instagram and shows me the pictures of her with a guy posted two days ago). "Best case scenario, you're a just a re-bound and you deserve better than that." >
  
  wtf is this sherlock level shit 😭 >
  
  Hey man, I've seen reddit guys locate the model of a gritty old walkytalkie wrapped in weird fibres down to the model, production company and circulation through the years.
  Don't underestimate weird nerds all over the world. >
  
  r/gunners figured out a possible new signing was in London based on a very average cloud formation through a small section of the car window in the background of the player's selfie. >
  
  Guess I can’t have friends being bisexual. Epic. >
  
  I'm sorry, it's illegal for you to have friends. Hand them over, now. >
  
  Can we at least get a refund? Maybe some monetary compensation? >
  
  I have some leftover Rangoon. Sorry, it’s the best I can do. >
  
  I'll take what I can get, I guess. >
  
  That’s the spirit! >
  
  I don’t think it’s a red flag at all but I think your completely within reason to let him know it makes you uncomfortable and for you two to take steps or compromise so your comfortable with their friendship. He shouldn’t have to stop being friends though. I know you said it’s not a trust thing but if this is something you guys can’t talk through then it really does seem like a trust issue.