Think women are the only ones who vent to their friends about relationships, heartbreak, and all of the feelings? Eh, not exactly. According to a new study by the market research company Quirk, men share more personal details than you might think.
They surveyed 900 men in the U.S. between the ages of 18 and 49, asking them about what they were comfortable sharing with their bros. And despite all those stereotypes that paint men as the football-obsessed, one-dimensional, push-those-feelings-down gender, most of the guys (69 percent) said they were open to talking about personal issues like love, relationships, and health. Close to a third said they'd like to be even moreopen and honest with their friends, while only a few said they don't divulge personal details at all. And this applies to conversations about sex, too (although this comfort level decreases slightly as men age…and mature).
So what exactly are they talking about? We're so glad you asked:
"This weekend my girlfriend and I went out for drinks with a big group of friends, and all of a sudden I realized that at least three of the guys there knew that we had sex in her car in her parents' driveway the week before."—Justin R.
"How often we are able to have sex when we want to have it. That's not to say that intimate details are shared—it's not common to discuss how good she was with her skills. We also complain about how our women nag us and how we deal with that. I confess: As guys, we act like we have all the answers and the woman is forever incorrect in the relationship!" —Roland S.
"Last night I went out to dinner with one of my best friends from high school and really poured my heart out about how I'm getting really pressured by my long-term girlfriend to get married. I love her, but I don't think I'm ready...but I don't want to lose her. I didn't come away with any answers, but it was great to talk to someone about it." —Anonymous
"While it varies from person to person, pretty much every guy I know loves to brag about his significant other. Guys don't just brag about how good you are the in the bedroom—they brag about your talents, accomplishments, good music taste—anything, really." —Andrew J.
"The more you care, the less you share." —Pablo S.
So if you've got a man and he's got friends, chances are they're privy to at least the big picture about your relationship, if not a few extra intimate details. And really, why shouldn't men be allowed to share as much as some women do? Sometimes half the fun of hooking up or going on an amazing date is getting to rehash it with your best friend later. So long as they're not sharing something you told them in complete confidence, is it really that big a deal?
