The other Candy Bar Girls and I were chatting the other day
about our different groups of friends and it soon became clear that
the main categories our friends fell into what could be defined as
'the lesbian group', 'the straight girlfriends' and 'the straight
guys'. It got me thinking why the straight men in my life are
important to me. What do you think?
1. Straight men let me vent
When I do need to vent about crazy girlfriend behaviour, there's
nothing like whingeing to straight guys. Complain to your lesbian
friends or straight girlfriends and it's all thoughts, feelings,
over-analysing and 'Just TALK to her' (as if lesbians don't do
enough of that!) Sometimes, it's nice to just complain to straight
men where you can get complete
understanding and sympathy with a simple shrug of the shoulders
and the statement 'Women!'
2. Straight men allow me to check girls out
My straight male friends enjoy copping an eyeful of an attractive
lady as much as I do. The feminist in me battles against this
objectification of women when I witness it in strangers, but next
to my friends, checking out the smoking hot girl across the street
doesn't seem nearly as condemnation-worthy as their outright wolf
whistles, which I would never feel able to get away with in any
other group dynamic.
3. Straight men give great advice
For all the wise words collected from female friends, glossy
magazine articles and your mum, straight men come at things from a
completely different perspective and can provide great clarity with
their statements that make complete sense when you've spent what
feels like a lifetime mulling over the impact each potential plan
of action might have on you, her, your friends, family and the
immediate neighbourhood.
4. Straight men make me feel like I'm a better
girlfriend
Because as much as I might fail at being a completely patient,
understanding, loving, giving and available girlfriend, at least I
have an inkling of what's going on in my girlfriends head when she
acts up/gets mad/starts an argument for seemingly no reason... They
are comparatively clueless and therefore I feel like a superior
partner.
5. Straight men are human
We're all human, and straight or gay, men and women all have their
quirks and charms about them as much as we all have our faults. But
isn't the point of friendship that you accept these individual
characteristics, they accept yours, and you all just get on with
enjoying life together (regardless of sexual orientation, or indeed
anything else)? Cue Jerry Springer moment...
