Smallnon

I wouldn’t think you’re off base here- it’s common for people, but in this context common for men to confuse other emotions or needs for attraction. Our society already tends to conflate non sexual intimacy like almost any form of comforting touch with sex, but traditionally men are boxed in emotionally to what is or isn’t “acceptable.” Men are often pushed into a social box where they are essentially only “allowed” to get most forms of social or emotional needs met by a romantic partner. So often, men will assume that anytime they feel these needs being met by someone that there is a sexual component there. This is why attention such as holding conversations or non sexual touching are often interpreted by men as signs of attraction or make men believe they feel attraction to another person of their preferred gender(s).

How much we need different things varies by person but all people need to have conversations or feel human touch for example. It’s a basic need for our well being. We can have non sexual personal connections without either party being sexually interested in the other, but society and other factors tend to make those foreign concepts to men. It’s more detailed and complex but I want to avoid 10 posts in a row lol. You’re probably right that he’s just confusing having non sexual needs met with romantic or sexual interest- but acting on or allow one’s self to entertain feelings of romantic or sexual interest towards a child is certainly wrong. Friendship is fine so long as that is all it is.

in other words, we r the dumb