It's an age-old question - and one that has become ever more relevant in the past 50 years as men and women interact more frequently at work and at social gatherings.
An experienced pastor and marriage counselor, Dave Carder, indentifies the long-term platonic friend as one of the three main sources of 'surprise adultery'.
He also identified that 50% of all first-time affairs are from long-term platonic friendships that began to mean more than they should have during periods of severe and sustained stress.
On the opposite end of the scale, author David Deida, believes that our ability to conduct successful platonic relationships depends on our 'sexual essence'.
He explains this as 'a man with a masculine essence might have a friendly relationship with a woman who also has a masculine sexual essence, BUT he would have a hard time having a strictly friendly relationship with a woman who has an extremely feminine essence'.
This proves that there are some men and women who can operate in a non-sexualised manner and there are some friendships in which, even if there is a vague element of attraction, this is not the primary factor in the friendship.
In this type of friendship, other factors, like an intellectual or emotional connection, or a similar interest, are more important.
To get back to the original question "Can Men & Women be 'Just Friends' - the answer is a rather inconclusive: it depends.
Let's not forget the upside of being with a man who is able to women as friends, not lovers.
If your partner can relate well to women, and with respect, this is a good indication of how he will treat you.
And what's more, his opposite-sex friendships give you the freedom to enjoy yours!!