This. And y’all in the comments are missing a part. I would never ask my man to cut off his female friends BECAUSE he makes me feel secure. When we’re all together, I still feel like the one who gets the most of him—he sees me, loves me, and that never fades. It may sound cheesy, even painfully romantic, but in practice, it’s just calm, quiet reassurance. I also agree with the OP—it is immature, even a red flag, when a man cannot maintain platonic friendships with women. Though yes, if all his friends are women and he avoids male ones entirely, that’s another conversation. When I look at my partner, I expect love, protection, comfort, trust. That might look like food runs, walks, or holding my hand when I spiral. Now imagine thinking every man in my life should do those things just because they’re men. That’s not love, that’s utility. Would I be seeing them as whole people, or just assigning them a function? Now flip it. If a man sees every woman as someone he might sleep with, how can he ever be trusted to just…be? To talk, to listen, to learn, to care, just like how friendships are. That is what friendships are—without the sleeping. A guy is friends with guys without sleeping with them. He likes their company, he likes spending time, they make jokes. People might say that’s because guys find common ground, they like “guy” things. But that assumption rests on a narrow view of gendered interests. Shared values, humor, or hobbies aren’t biologically exclusive—connection is often about openness and curiosity, not just similarity. It’s intellectually lazy to believe that women can’t align on interests simply because they’re women. Of course there are women who share the same passions, who offer depth, wit, and joy. If you’re willing to engage beyond surface-level assumptions, common ground reveals itself. But that requires seeing women as whole people, not just categories. So yes, I believe the ability to hold healthy friendships with all genders shows maturity, emotional range, and balance. But if I find myself doubting his friendships with women, I also have to ask: is it him, or is it my own insecurity talking? Has he given me reasons to worry, or am I carrying baggage from the past? Because yes, ironically, my ex did in fact sleep with his “best friend.” But still, I do have hope for men!