Platonic relationships offer some advantages for people struggling with emotionally connecting to people, especially the opposite sex. However, most people have never heard of platonic relationships or dismiss them rather quickly as “not for them”. That’s wrong and here’s why:
What is a platonic relationship?
The term platonic relationship comes from Plato, a Greek Philosopher who wrote about these types of relationships.
A platonic relationship can describe different forms of relationships, but generally it means that people share a strong emotional bond, but do not act out on sexual activities or don’t even have a sexual attraction in the first place.
So siblings can have platonic relationships or good friends. However, there are also of two people having a relationship that is romantic in nature and about love and emotional intimacy but no sexual intimacy.
What is the difference between friendship and a platonic-romantic relationship?
Well, if you’re in an actual romantic relationship with someone that is platonic, then you call this person your girlfriend or boyfriend and you have romantic feelings for this person.
“Platonic relationships involve a deep emotional connection and a strong physical attraction. Friendships, on the other hand, are based purely on mutual respect and common interests.“
It is possible to desire physical intimacy (such as hugging, kissing, or touching) or sex with the other person but not be engaged in these activities.
A platonic-romantic relationship requires more commitment and exclusivity if both parties agree to be loyal and faithful to each other. It is crucial to point out that just because there is no sexual interaction in a platonic relationship, that there can’t be romantic and sexual feelings, which leads me to my next point.
Why do people go into platonic-romantic relationships?
There are many reasons why people might prefer a platonic relationship over a sexual or casual one.
Some people are asexual or celibate (if they want to stay virgins for religious reasons, for example) or they simply prefer a unique form of intimacy.
But sometimes people also want a platonic relationship temporarily to build the foundation of the relationship on love and the emotional bond, and intimacy rather than on sexual attraction.
What are the benefits of platonic-romantic relationships?
Research suggests that Two-thirds of couples start as friends. This shows that platonic love can be a very strong foundation for a relationship.
To cite the actor Tom Hardy here:
“Remove sex from a relationship and you will discover that a lot of people have nothing to offer.”
How many men would want a platonic relationship?
One study found that men tend to be more attracted to their opposite-sex friends than women are, and that they are more likely to overestimate how attracted their friends are to them. Women, on the other hand, tend to be more genuine in their belief that opposite-sex friendships are platonic, and that attraction is more negative than positive.
However, this does not mean that men and women cannot have platonic relationships at all. It just means that they may have different expectations and challenges when it comes to maintaining them. Some terms have emerged to describe platonic relationships, such as bromance (between two men) and womance (between two women).
Mutual respect, trust, honesty, and communication are the most important aspects of any platonic relationship.
References:
https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-a-platonic-relationship-5185281
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/men-and-women-cant-be-just-friends/
