I am 100% confused. You have made two total contradictory claims...in one you never touch a non related male but in another you treat your guy friends just like your female friends (hugs etc)or am I just missing something here?
I never touch a non-related male unless I’m pulling him from a fire. I am never alone with a non-related male. If a situation comes up where I *must* be alone with a non-related male (repair man), my husband is aware of the situation and I never allow him to get closer than 6 feet. I’m not a b*tch about it, but I keep the lines very clear. I don’t trust ANY male.
The way female friends interact with each other (hugging, doing nice things for one another, intense personal conversations) was natural for me. When I started making friends with the guys, I treated them the way I would a good female friend. I NEVER thought that these idiots would see it as flirting. (Alright - *I* was the idiot.) They knew I was happily married. I thought that my ring was all the clarity that I needed.
What I *SAID* was that I *used* to treat male ‘friends’ the way I would my female friends. I honestly didn’t see them as sexual objects. I meant it when I said, “just friends.”
Then, after a series of horrifying encounters, I figured out that guys saw ‘friendship’ as an invitation for more. I was no longer naive.
AFTER THAT, I changed my behavior. I made my lock-tight list of rules for social dealings with men. I *learned* to keep ALL men at an arms-length.