It would help if you talked to me like I'm dumb.

I might lose a male friend because they could be getting romantically attached to me after I talked to them just like they're a girl.

I grew up around mostly girls and women to the point I don't fully get why I can't tell guy friends I love them. I kept telling one "I love ya dude!" To me, that sounds the same as "I love you as a friend!"

I thought spelling "you" as "ya" and adding the word "dude" firmly said "you're in the friend-zone." But no.

This is easily not the only example of where I fucked up, but I won't know unless it's pointed out to me and explained.

I'm furious that I live in a society :amerikkka: where I can't just tell guy friends that I love them.

    • HexaSnoot [none/use name]
      ·
      2 years ago

      I assumed if you can say "I love you" to a brother, you can tell any beloved guy friend that. I'll try to use "you're great." This guy has been single for a long time.

      Everything you're saying is new to me. I haven't picked up on anyone doing the same things.

      Except the girls acting dumber around insecure guys who gatekeep the concept of knowledge. I've done that.

        • keepcarrot [she/her]
          ·
          2 years ago

          Hmm, I may be coming off as a piece of shit a lot. Barely code switch, speech peppered with lots of "probablies" and "maybes" and fairly precise words

      • Dimmer06 [he/him,comrade/them]
        ·
        2 years ago

        I assumed if you can say “I love you” to a brother

        I would wager this is still stronger expression than many brothers would care to use. I think the last time I said that to my brother was five or six years ago and it's possible I'm misremembering that and I actually haven't said it since we were little kids.