It happens often that I get introduced to a couple. Then I find the man way more interesting than the woman, and I feel that we could be friends in the most platonic no hetero way, but I put some distance because I'm sure the woman would hate it and I don't want trouble.

My partner understands it and he knows that gender roles are made up and he has a lot of women platonic friends.

I wish it was easy for me too.

@Oyetessa: I've found the great majority of people don't like platonic relationships. More specifically, they don't mind them for themselves but mind them in others and are suspicious of them. They still feel threatened by them, in part because so many people about having them when what they have with their "friend" is really a FWB arrangements that sometimes winds up in am ugly, painful breakup. Not everyone is after sex, though I've found a) next to nobody believes that and b) alas, most...

@Oyetessa: ...people often are after sex. Consent is weird for them, as is honesty. (I mean real honesty, not the "I meant it when I said it, but I changed my mind and may change it again" kind.)