Hello Ennie. Interesting topic! I find it much easier to be friends with men than with women. I do value friendship with women but I have repeatedly struggled with female friendships. A person's a person at the end of the day. I respect men and women. I am just being honest that I would be much more comfortable and interested at a table with men than a table of women on an eve out. I should mention that I grew up in single-sex schools and the girls there were vicious to each other and to me. It was deeply unpleasant. Unfortunately, I see the same relational aggression among many adult women of various ages. I remain hopeful that some day I will build some lasting healthy friendships with women.

My current closest friend is my partner: a man. Two of my three sisters and mother are judgmental and very difficult to get along with. But one out of three sisters isn't bad, right? When I am in mixed company...various couples at a house party for example...you will often find me chatting in the men's group for most of the eve. I am comfortable there and so are the men. The women initially judge me and then once they get to know me, they usually have no problem with it. I quickly run out of things to say in a group of only women...partly because I don't participate in denigrating other women's looks, outfits, intelligence etc. That seems to be how many women bond with each other; by putting down/excluding other women. I am unmarried with no desire to marry and I do not want a baby so there are many topics which a lot of women enjoy discussing that I don't have anything to add to....wedding planning, bridal showers, honeymoons, babymoons, planning pregnancy, experiencing pregnancy, childbirth, day care etc etc

I also really appreciate male humor which is completely different from female humor. I've had male and female friends who called me "part dude." Hahaha! I'm okay with that!

Can a woman with only male friendships have a balanced life? Sure. If the friendships are what she wants and she feels happy and safe. Why not? Balance is different for everyone in life. I don't believe in absolutes or a one-size-fits-all formula. Women treat some women differently than other women....and some women like myself grow weary of that and give up for a while Though I should mention that I have a female friend on PC of whom I'm very fond and greatly respect

Are you the woman with only male friends or the questioner?