Knowing a guy for years, seeing him as just a friend, and doing a lot of things like hanging out with him, going to friendship gatherings, and going to the movies. Knowing him since middle school, then he comes out and asks me out, and I feel zero romantic attraction.
He wrote me an entire 3 page letter asking me out and wondering why I didn't say yes one of the times he asked. He also noted that I talk to him and only him at our friendship gatherings, but I guess it's because I know him better than others and a lot of social anxiety.
I have another guy friend who I feel comfortable talking to to the point of me mostly talking to him at gatherings and people have asked if we're romantically involved. and he himself indicated he's interested when I'm not interested at all. I like him as a friend but there's so much about him I wouldn't want in a partner.
There have been other situations where guys who were just friends developed feelings I don't return.
I wonder if sx-lastness, having a tendency to be friends with the opposite gender plays into it and having that awkward social second that still plays a very real role. Yeah, people are going to see people of the opposite gender hanging around and automatically assume they must be a couple because in our culture, it's conditioned in a way. But I wonder if sx-lastness and outwardly treating a good friend no differently than your would treat a romantic relationship and being very awkward in that area leads up to this. I know it's weird. I would treat a romantic partner differently in all reality, and I do have standards that clearly draw the line, don't get me wrong. But because people have never seen me in that type of situation, it looks no different superficially.