There Is No Such Thing as ‘The Friend Zone’

‘The Friend Zone', once a sitcom cliché, has become an extremely controversial topic in the age of social media.

And as with most things on social media, everyone has their own opinion on it.

'The Friend Zone' has been described by males as a kind-of limbo into which a girl who does not wish to pursue a romantic relationship (despite their supposed 'niceness') places them.

Females on the receiving end probably wouldn’t agree with the existence of ‘The Friend Zone’, however.

These males (though, it’s not always males, and it’s not always women on the receiving end) assume that because they are 'nice' and treat females as basic human beings, they are entitled for said female to date them.

If you made cookies for someone you fancy, do you really expect them to suddenly fancy you as well? They may consider it kind and think highly of you. Shouldn’t that be payment enough for your act of kindness?

Yet, to some people, if the feelings are not mutual, 'The Friend Zone' is their excuse to abuse someone for simply not returning the same feelings.

In my personal opinion, I find that 'The Friend Zone' is an excuse males give in order to avoid admitting their mistakes or simply to avoid respecting the female on the other end.

Every person—regardless of how they gender-identify—deserves basic respect and human decency towards them. In other words, if someone does not respect your decision about romantic relationships, they are not worth your time and are simply trying to find a reason to blame someone else for the rejection they are receiving instead of reflecting on themselves and/or simply respecting your choice.

I also believe that, even if there was such a thing as 'The Friend Zone', that it wouldn’t be punishment to be placed in it. Being friends with someone (although you may wish to be more than friends) is not something that should be considered unsatisfactory and can be a very good way to become closer and continue to keep them in your life.

Therefore, I believe that 'The Friend Zone', is an easy excuse and not actually a real place, and that people should respect anyone’s decision and be happy to stay as someone’s friend.

Congratulations to Gabi for winning this writing challenge, answering: Is 'The Friend Zone' A Real Thing? Gabi wins a $50 Westfield gift card for her submission. For your chance to win, check out our latest writing challenges in our Comps section. Also, be sure to follow this guide on how to win the writing challenge!