Yes! Being a gay man and thus being part of a subculture where sexual exclusivity in couples is not a strongly enforced norm, I often wonder why many straight people seem to insist that sexual involvement must ruin friendships.

It does not, in my experience.

I appreciate that emotional involvement accompanying sexual intimacy can sometimes be fraught, but my "gay culture" presumption is that any difficulties are more likely to be overcome positively than otherwise.

Maybe this is because local gay communities tend to be small and insular? I mean, if your friends group has to be limited to people you've never had sex with, but the number of potential gay friends in the area is very small to begin with ...

Well, that's pretty limiting.

I've maintained very close friendships with guys I met by having a sexual fling. I was never saddled with the cultural expectation that friendship would not be likely after the sex stopped.

I'm glad of that.