The friend zone isnt real — except as a sexist idea. Lets start with where it came from. It was Joey Tribbiani of Friends, that great philosopher of love, who used the term to describe Ross situation with Rachel. But according to Joey, he had taken too long to make a move — and that put him right in the friend zone.

Is the term friend zone sexist?

The phrase erases the agency of the crushing person. All blame for their pain is put on the crush object. “Unrequited love” is something that can happen to both sexes, but “friend zone” is a sexist concept that implies that women are solely responsible for mens happiness, and not men themselves.

Why the friend zone is toxic?

Believing in the Friend Zone Becomes Toxic If we accept the friend zone doesnt exist, we also recognize the rejection as absolute. Believing in the friend zone, however, allows us to imagine the opposite. Believing in the friend zone allows us to believe there is a way get out of it, therefore we never truely move on.