To any guy claiming to being held in "the friend zone," I'd love to say a few things.

Most importantly:

1. You're not.

The definition of "The Friend Zone" from the Oxford Dictionary is as follows: A situation in which a friendship exists between two people, one of whom has an unreciprocated romantic or sexual interest in the other.

2. You're not.

So, it's basically a socially constructed coping mechanism to deal with unreciprocated emotional or sexual feelings.

With that being said, the "friend zone" normalizes the concept that if a man is a good friend to a woman and he develops a romantic interest in her, she owes him something.

3. You're not.

Women don't exist to serve men, and just as importantly, they have the right to say NO.

The "friend zone" attempts to take away this right, and simultaneously shames women for exercising this right, and giving or withholding their consent.

4. You're not.

Just because the woman in your life is your friend and she likes you, that doesn't mean she's attracted to you, and it doesn't mean she owes you anything simply because you're attracted to her.

5. You're not.

Next time you use "the friend zone" in an attempt to shame a woman for hurting your feelings, think about what you're really implying.