Who makes better friends: men or women?

I know this is another one of those things I write about that is largely subjective. However, you'd be surprised at the number of women I've met who've admitted to preferring men to women when it comes to friendships.

These women say that they prefer making friends with men because guys are more rational and far less dramatic. Women like to fuss over the smallest details, they say, while men are simpler and easier to please.

Below are some observations I've made, and I want to preface this by saying that they are general observations. I know all men and women are different.

It's true that women generally gossip more than men. I've especially found this to be the case in the workplace.
Women get more easily excited or worked up over things that most men might find to be trivial (e.g. who is attending the holiday party, the hideous shirt that someone in Accounting wore yesterday, something that a neighbor's friend bought recently, etc.)
Women tend to be more open and upfront about their feelings
Women are more likely to become hostile or catty with other women than men, especially out in public
I have found women to be more charitable than men -- they take more of an interest in making donations, volunteering in the community, etc.

I'm a man and am not ashamed to admit that I go gaga over animals, especially puppies and kittens. But I've realized that, upon seeing an adorable pooch or kitty, I don't react in the same way as most men do. Also, I don't always take an interest in things that men are expected to fancy, like watching horror movies, shooting ranges, fixing cars, and repairing things around the house. I don't mind spending an evening watching a chick flick or reading and writing, which many guys would likely frown upon.

The bottom line is this: At the end of the day, it's not so much about gender as it is sharing similar interests with people. We all have friends with which we do certain things, and other buddies with which we enjoy completely different hobbies. Since some men might enjoy things that are typically considered feminine and certain women might be up for anything that you'd do with "one of the guys," gender is largely irrelevant in the grand scheme of things.

What's your take on this?

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How to Understand People

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