According to a recent study in the journal “Men and Masculinities”, men find close intimate friendships with other males, or what we call “Bromance”, more satisfying than romantic relationships. We know this may be frustrating for you ladies. But let’s brush our disappointments aside, think rationally and try to figure out why men find bromances to be more emotionally satisfying than romantic relationships. Following is a list of 4 potential reasons why men sometimes think it’s “Pals Before Gals”:

1. Acceptance

As social creatures by nature, we crave the feeling of acceptance in any kind of relationship we have. It’s what makes us break down our walls and lose our defence techniques. And in the lack of acceptance and the presence of judgment comes our attempt to change or hide our true nature. So based on the fact that many guys feel more judged in their romances more than they are in their bromances, automatically they tend to prefer the last one.

2. Self-revelation

That being said, and since most men find it really hard to be emotionally intimate and vulnerable with women, especially in the early stages of relationships, the bromances come to the rescue as a safe space where they can act comfortable in their own skin and be their unguarded selves. They are more willing to be vulnerable with their bros because they do not have a certain image to maintain; to act in a specific way around their female partner is surely exhausting.

3. Absence of pressure

It’s doubtless that romantic relationships put a lot of pressure on both parties. Maintaining a certain level of respect while dealing with your partner, the relatively emotional instability with long-lasting intense arguments, choosing one’s own words and behaviours; all these things make a bromanctic relationship run more easily and more smoothly, compared to a romantic one. No wonder guys perceive it as a safe haven!

4. It’s socially accepted now

Bromances can be seen as a progressive development in relations between men. And recently it is getting more accepted socially to have a close intimate relationship between guys, thanks to bromantic relationships between celebrities such as Brad Pitt and George Clooney, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire and Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto.

At last, we need to cut the guys some slack! It’s their right to have a close relation with their male friends. If it was socially accepted for them to be close with their bros in the first place, just like girls enjoy this privilege, we wouldn’t even be discussing this right now! And guys, please give your ladies a chance, maybe you’ll find out that your romance is as fulfilling as your bromance.