I know you will not like it but there are some expiriences I would like to share.
Most of my friends are the opposite gender and I never had any problem with making friends with a guy, no matter, single or in relationship, they are persons and we can be friends
but
if a man complained how lonely he was, if he showed I would be his only, closest soul in the world, then a red light was always starting to blink in my mind. And then I was trying to maintain the distance or even break the contact right away.
Why?
Because the chances of him falling madly in love with me were too high and I never wanted it. Lots of guys can't help treating girls they find attractive differently. Lots of guys can't see there is an actual person attached to a pair of boobs. And that the person behind is not at all a fairy tale princess nor any other idea of a woman this man has.
I wear oversized shirts to make it easier for them. Because the best male-female friendships I've had were characterised by mutual lack of attraction to distract us.
But I'm just an aspie nerdy tomboy, so my expiriences may be quite distant to Southern US reality.
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Let's not confuse being normal with being mentally healthy.
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