Men’s Friendships

Men’s friendships take many forms, though there are patterns that have been identified as being uniquely associated with friendships among males. In the United States, young boys are likely to have emotionally and physically close relationships with other boys and with girls during the preschool years. Crying in front of other children; physically embracing, hugging, or helping nurture another boy who is having difficulty; or simply playing together without consciousness of whether their playmate is a boy or a girl is common. Thus, boys who spend time together, share interests, and are compatible in other ways bond without restrictions on how they act or express themselves.

As toddlers, boys are not necessarily aware of their sex, of being male, nor do they consider their behavior as ...