ABSTRACT
In American culture, the coupling of "men" and "intimacy" is often construed as either a contradiction or men are said to experience intimacy very differently than women, to wit, more about "doing" than "being" together. Stipulating men and intimacy as antithetical typically assumes that intimacy is equated with stereotypically feminine experiences-sharing feelings, an ease with being vulnerable and dependent, caring for the other, and a longing for a thick emotional intermingling. Intimacies might be forged, however, between individuals of the same gender. Historians have documented that men and women fashioned emotionally thick and committed same-gendered relationships. "Romantic friendships," especially between women, often involving declarations of love and commitment, were not uncommon among the white middle class. Intimacy is to revolve around partners exploring each other's inner life and sharing a transformative journey in which personal growth parallels growing intimate solidarity.
