, whitet are the biggest barrie urs blocking you from maintains or forming Cross-orientation friendships? 2 What, If anything could be done to overcome thesebarriers? focus on CULTURE Cross-Orientation Male Friendships As New York Times writer Douglas Quenqua notes, the big gest stereotype regarding gay and straight male friendships the notion that gay men can't refrain from hitting on straight friends. This is false, In a poil of men involved in gay straight friendships. Quenqua found itle evidence of cu tension. He did find several other barriers confront- ing such relationships, however. The most prominent was per promoure from friends on both sides to not socializo with someone of a different orientation The other barriers were perceptual and communicative Straight men hen view gay men solely in terms of their orientation, making it difficult to connect with them on other levels. As Matthew Streb, a gay journalistin Baltimore, describes. 's always about my gayness for the first two months. First they have questions, then they make fun of it, then they starting me as a person in sadition, many right men feel uncomfortable talking about their gay friends romantic involvements. Without being able to discuss this critical topic, the friends neces way to contains in how close they can become One context that has proven conducive of close cross- onentation friendships is the military. Sociologist Jamie Price found that the straight and gay men with the closest friendships were those who had fought side by side (1999). Having leamed to depend on each other for sur vival bull a bond that far transcended differences of sex- ual orientation But regardless of barriers or bonds. one thing is consistent in cross-orientation male friendships: lack of consistency, As Douglas Quenqua concludes, "For every sweeping statement one can make about such friend ships, there is a real-life counter example to undermine the stereotypes. As with all friendships, no two are exactly discussion questions What are the biggest barriers blocking you from maintaining or forming cross-orientation friendships? What if anything, could be done to overcome these barriors? of menages can lead to misunderstanding, uncertainty, frustration, and conflict (Sias et al., 2008). The potential rewards of intercultural friendships, however, se preat, and include gaining new cultural knowledge, broadening one's world- view, and breaking stereotypes (Sias et al., 2008). As noted throughout this chapter, the most important factor that catapults friendships forward is similarity in interests and activities. However, the defining characteristic of intercultural interactions is differ, and this makes formation of Intercultural friendships more challenging (Silas et:1. 2008). How can you over come this Bly finding, and then bolstering some significant pe of up simi larity For sample a good friend who is Japanes and of Irish descent founded our friendship upon a shared lowe of techno and house music. But the to predictor of whether someone will have an interculanal friendship por la rendesis. People who have had a friend in different can in the pattantially likely to food friendships in the ( 2005). This is boome they leam the mos benefits that , whitet are the biggest barrie urs blocking you from maintains or forming Cross-orientation friendships? 2 What, If anything could be done to overcome thesebarriers? focus on CULTURE Cross-Orientation Male Friendships As New York Times writer Douglas Quenqua notes, the big gest stereotype regarding gay and straight male friendships the notion that gay men can't refrain from hitting on straight friends. This is false, In a poil of men involved in gay straight friendships. Quenqua found itle evidence of cu tension. He did find several other barriers confront- ing such relationships, however. The most prominent was per promoure from friends on both sides to not socializo with someone of a different orientation The other barriers were perceptual and communicative Straight men hen view gay men solely in terms of their orientation, making it difficult to connect with them on other levels. As Matthew Streb, a gay journalistin Baltimore, describes. 's always about my gayness for the first two months. First they have questions, then they make fun of it, then they starting me as a person in sadition, many right men feel uncomfortable talking about their gay friends romantic involvements. Without being able to discuss this critical topic, the friends neces way to contains in how close they can become One context that has proven conducive of close cross- onentation friendships is the military. Sociologist Jamie Price found that the straight and gay men with the closest friendships were those who had fought side by side (1999). Having leamed to depend on each other for sur vival bull a bond that far transcended differences of sex- ual orientation But regardless of barriers or bonds. one thing is consistent in cross-orientation male friendships: lack of consistency, As Douglas Quenqua concludes, "For every sweeping statement one can make about such friend ships, there is a real-life counter example to undermine the stereotypes. As with all friendships, no two are exactly discussion questions What are the biggest barriers blocking you from maintaining or forming cross-orientation friendships? What if anything, could be done to overcome these barriors? of menages can lead to misunderstanding, uncertainty, frustration, and conflict (Sias et al., 2008). The potential rewards of intercultural friendships, however, se preat, and include gaining new cultural knowledge, broadening one's world- view, and breaking stereotypes (Sias et al., 2008). As noted throughout this chapter, the most important factor that catapults friendships forward is similarity in interests and activities. However, the defining characteristic of intercultural interactions is differ, and this makes formation of Intercultural friendships more challenging (Silas et:1. 2008). How can you over come this Bly finding, and then bolstering some significant pe of up simi larity For sample a good friend who is Japanes and of Irish descent founded our friendship upon a shared lowe of techno and house music. But the to predictor of whether someone will have an interculanal friendship por la rendesis. People who have had a friend in different can in the pattantially likely to food friendships in the ( 2005). This is boome they leam the mos benefits that
