Boy BFFs

We girls are well schooled on friendship. We learn to appreciate (and hug) our BFFs and shamelessly display our affection for our gal-pals, but boys haven't always been so lucky. In the past it's been all about manliness, macho-ness, muscles... you get the drift.

If a guy hugged a friend in a context that didn't involve sport, he'd be ripped to shreds and if he dared declare how much he loved his best mate, well, that was pretty much a one-way ticket to social pariah-dom. But it looks like times are a-changing as bromance comes out of the closet and lands within a bunch of guys near you.

In case you're still wondering what we're on about, here's a run down: A bromance is an extremely close but non-romantic relationship between two guys. Bromantic boys will usually do the following: hug, pat each other on the back and spend practically every spare second with each other.

Clinical counsellor and relationship expert Philip Armstrong says that bromance is becoming more noticeable because we're living in a more open-minded society. "We live in an age where we accept equality and freedom of choice so these types of relationships are now more open and accepted than ever before."

The problem with bromance...

While bromance can seem very similar to the relationships girls have with each other, there are still some key differences. "Girls, in general, will form emotionally based friendships where they feel safe to discuss their feelings and personal issues. Boys will generally form close-knit friendships that are competitive in relation to strength and sporting prowess," explains Philip. "Despite the competitive nature of these relationships, loyalty and dependability are regarded very highly and thus they can be seen as having a close relationship or bromance."

Unfortunately this means that even bromantic boys can still be insensitive jerks when it comes to girls. "Many boys consider relationships with their mates as being far more important than their relationships with girls. They don't want their mates to see them being affectionate or displaying emotions, as this is seen as a sign of weakness within most groups of young males," says Philip.

As annoying as this can be, it's not entirely their fault. "Before judging boys, girls must understand that biologically, emotionally and physically boys are different, so to judge by 'girl standards' is just not going to work."

What we love about bromance:

"It's nice to see guys showing affection, even if it's just to their friends!" Ava, 16.

"It's great to see guys being upfront about how they feel about their mates." Louise, 19.

"Maybe now boys will get what girl friendships are all about." Zoe, 14.

& what we don't...

"They (bromantic guys) can come across as really secretive." Shelley, 20.

"I hate it when guys ditch girls to hang out with their mates - it's slack." Sarah, 17.

"They're more interested in impressing each other than impressing their girlfriends!" Alex, 18.

Famous Bromances

Jonah Hill and Michael Cera in Superbad.

Brody Jenner and Frankie Delgado.

Paul Rudd and Jason Segel in I Love You, Man.

Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson.

Simon Pegg and Nick Frost.