Cross-gender friendships ‘critical to helping women in sciences’

Perhaps with males having to be ever vigilant against being framed as sexual aggressors, one misconstrued word or look is all it takes apparently, along with the female only (strongly feminist) networking in many universities it's unsurprising social intercourse outside of the immediate working environment is very much segregated by gender. Mentoring or simply giving Viva advice to dress professionally for their Viva to mentored female PhD candidates is a minefield fraught with danger for male academics as it is, 'friendship' isn't 'resisted' as much as seen as a very real and likely danger!

I agree with NJF. I may be wrong, but I get the impression that universities do not now differentiate between "at work" and "with work colleagues outside of work" regarding what is said: inappropriate, offensive, racist, sexist, transphobic, etc. These restrictions are now probably (apart from "I'm offended") necessary within the workplace, but true friendships require all parties accept that the language, value sytems, political beliefs and world view of others may not be their own; and that what is said in the pub, stays in the pub. It's very much easier to stick with those you trust.