Yay for #5. Seriously, if your boyfriends only flaw to your friends is that they don't like his personality/political views/opinions and they got nothing real or serious to hate about them, then it's the friends who need to stop bugging. I've been in that situation before and just totally ignored everything my friends said because they weren't worried about my happiness, they were just being assholes.

They had all sorts of problems in their lives (college drop outs, unemployed, drug addicts, pregnant at the age of 20, been recently cheated on) I know that my boyfriend was just a pleasant distraction in their messed up lives. They just had to find something wrong with the way I was living because I was employed, going to OU, getting really good grades, and dating someone who didn't cheat on me. Seriously. What lame friends. I hardly talk to them anymore.

My roommates tried to force me to break up with my boyfriend to the point where he was not allowed over, they always wanted to know where I was, and they got together with a group of guys my boyfriend had lived with for a few months and made a huge lie about how he didn't pay them rent ever which I knew wasn't true because I had been there when he had paid the guys. I didn't choose either side and I told everyone I understood where they were coming from, but my relationships were MY relationships and if they wanted to throw tantrums and possibly throw away our friendship based on something so ridiculous and silly that it was on their call. They thought I was with him too much and they thought he was too opinionated. To be fair, it was only 2 of my 4 roommates who didn't like him and I didn't bring him to the apartment the whole second semester because I respected who they wanted around because it wasn't just my apartment. I did bring him over when no one was there and when it was summer because I stopped caring. Also, I was working 30+ hours a week and going to school M-F so I wasn't with him that much. They were just making excuses.

Agreed with all of this.

while i agree with all of this, sometimes friends really do have valid reasons for disliking a friend's significant other.

one of my best friends from college has been in a relationship with a guy for almost three years now who is absolutely toxic- i can't tell you how many people (including myself) have recognized what a negative influence he is on her. he has completely taken over her life and has, for lack of better words, brainwashed her. unfortunately because she is in love and has rose colored glasses on, if she were to read this article she would agree with everything it says (and in her case, it would be wrongly so).

in the end, i think it all boils down to the fact that each relationship is unique and sometimes the boyfriend really can be the problem rather than the friends. since i obviously don't know your s.o., i'm definitely not saying this is your case. just wanted to add my two cents though.

great post (:

I agree with the people who are saying that there are valid  reasons for friends not liking a boyfriend, and they are generally just trying to protect you in that situation. I have had friends who have had awful relationships with people and they just could not see it. They were being abused, and treated unfairly but yet they thought they were in love. The thing that hurts the most about that situation is they usually end up dropping the friends that don't agree with their relationship, and then later on find out that what they were saying is true, and are now alone, without any support.
I have not had this problem with my last and longest boyfriend. Everyone absolutely adores him, and I know he loves me. We have a perfectly healthy relationship so if my friend could not come up with a valid reason to why she/he did not like him, I would take it with a grain of salt.
If you know your boyfreind and your friend dont get a long that well then do not force them to be together. There are ways to just make plans on your own without your boyfriend having to be there.

Cool.  Any tips for parents who hate your boyfriend?

This is helpful. My friends and some family don't like my boyfriend for his opinions on things either. The people I care about seem to forget I share his thoughts on at least half of his opinions. He is brutally honest and has "strange" beliefs but I'm the same way. But I keep myself under wraps a little more so people don't notice it as much with me. He lets everything out in the open and doesn't care. Regardless I stand by his desicions and have no problem with them. If my friends do, they can shove it. Other then my best friend who has a great marriage my other friends don't usually have the healthiest/long-lasting relationships so they really can't judge. But if they're right, I let him know that.

I agree with your post, definitely number 5.

Tbh I've had friends dislike my boyfriends, and I've disliked my friends' boyfriends, so I can see it from both angles, but its so true that it depends entirely on the relationship in question.  Your friend shouldn't even have given you such an ultimatum, especially if your boyfriend had made an effort with her, so you were right to choose your boyfriend over her.

But its hard sometimes if your friend's boyfriend doesn't seem at all interested in knowing you.  I've always made my guys aware that if they want to be with me, they HAVE to try and get to know my friends, they have to accept my life and let me still have it, and I have to let them do the same. 

I've had friends who are very much in love with their boyfriends, but when I meet him and try to say hello and get to know him, he's not interested.  Sometimes they take an instant dislike to you that you know can't be anything personal because he's like it with ALL his girlfriend's friends... maybe its because he's one of those boyfriends that can't stand his girlfriend having any friends or social life beyond him.  He gets grumpy when she wants to do anything that doesn't involve him and wants to be the only person in her life, and she'll just pass it off as it being "cute".   I think in cases like that, its understandable to be against your friend's boyfriend....

"If you have to choose, choose the one who has YOUR best interests in mind" Yeah, they never do. They choose the medium that gives them the most attention - ALWAYS.

I agree especially number three.  Not everyone is going to agree on everything, but at least be respectful and remain civil toward each other at the end.  

Number 5 should be applied to both parties. But unfortunately, it doesn't work out that way a lot. People who make you choose never have your best interests in mind. And to put someone in such a position is the worst thing to do. I was placed in that situation once, and I didn't want to make a decision simply because I shouldn't have to.