Hi ramsdekm! I don't think you have to force yourself to be "one of the guys" if that is not in your nature. I understand that there is some Social Anxiety in the mix here, but perhaps you genuinely don't enjoy typical "male" leisure pursuits, and that's ok too. For example, my husband is very artistic and is excellent at painting and drawing and photography. He hates watching sports on TV and has never been one to go out for a few beers "with the boys". He much prefers being out in nature instead. Consequently he tends to have a lot more female friends than male friends. He goes to art classes at the local art center and signs up for natural history outings and such.

I guess I'm just wanting to make the point that there are all kinds of other leisure pursuits you could embark on that don't involve "the guys". I'm definitely not saying you shouldn't make friends with men! Just, the type of man you befriend doesn't have to be the archetypal sport-watching/beer-drinking/male buddy type. And perhaps that would make it less intimidating for you??

Wishing you all the very best!