Social media was supposed to be about “networking” and “learning.”
But if you’ve ever opened Facebook, LinkedIn, or Instagram, you’ll know the real truth:
👉 Women’s “Add Friend” buttons glow like Diwali lights.
👉 Men’s? Well, they mostly attract spam calls and loan offers.
Let’s explore this great mystery—the social media friend request gender divide—from an Indian lens.
👩 The Female Connection Lottery
Women often say: “Uff, so many random friend requests from men I don’t even know.”
Meanwhile, men sit with their phones like disappointed zamindars: “Kuch toh aayega beta… ek din request zaroor aayegi.”
And when it does come?
It’s either from “Priya Tiwari, 0 mutual friends, joined yesterday.”
Or from their own cousin who pressed “Add Friend” by mistake.
Or LinkedIn itself begging: “Please connect with your uncle. He is the only one left.”
🧑 Why Men Send So Many Requests to Women
Three main reasons:
1. Digital Darwinism 🦚
Like peacocks showing feathers, men show friend requests. Out of 100, if 1 gets accepted, it’s considered victory.
2. Networking Excuse 🤝
On LinkedIn, the excuse is always: “Ma’am, professional connection please.” Reality: “Hello, I also breathe oxygen. Let’s connect.”
3. Bollywood Training 🎬
As Bollywood has taught us - Persistence Wins!
If Shah Rukh can chase Kajol across Europe for three hours of runtime, surely sending 500 connection requests is a modest effort.
🧍♂️ Do Men Get Female Attention Too?
Short answer: Not really.
Long answer: Sometimes, depending on hairstyle, job, and gym selfies.
In India:
Government job = aunties’ attention offline.
DSLR + tilted head = some likes online.
Posting sunrise quotes = “At least he’s positive.”
Six-pack abs = 99% comments are still from other dudes: “Nice bro 💪🔥.”
So yes, women get attention by default, men have to earn it like JEE rank—painfully and competitively.
🇮🇳 The Indian Judgement Society
Here, people don’t just check marksheets—they check your friend list too.
Woman with too many male friends online: “Beta, focus on UPSC. Facebook won’t feed you.”
Man with too many female friends: “Wah hero! Jaldi shaadi kara do.”
Both with only same-gender friends: “Good children. Very sanskaari. Surely vegetarian.”
And on LinkedIn:
She has 10k followers? → “Talented!”
He has 10k followers? → “Unemployed, clearly free.”
🪞 The Truth Nobody Admits
Let’s face it:
Women’s inboxes overflow, but 70% are from bored men trying their luck.
Men’s inboxes are empty, but the rare ones they get may actually be genuine.
In India, social media is just the new playground for rishta aunties with Wi-Fi.
⚖️ A Modest Proposal for Balance
Here’s how we fix this chaos:
1. Friend Request Tax 💸
Every request to opposite gender = ₹5 GST. Imagine the revenue. Free Wi-Fi in every village!
2. Connection Entrance Exam 📑
Before “Add Friend,” men must answer:
Do you know this person?
Is this professional?
Will you DM “Hi dear” at 2 a.m.?
Only pass = only request.
3. Quota System 🗳️
For every 10 male requests a woman gets, she should also receive 2 female requests. Gender equality at last!
🎭 Final Thoughts
Why do women get more requests? Because men think “Add Friend” is the first step in the romance syllabus.
Do men get female attention? Only if they’re gym-ready, salary-ready, or reel-ready.
And in India? People judge your social media connections like election results—serious faces, spicy gossip, and someone crying in the corner.
Moral of the story: Behind every 500+ connections is either a genuine networker… or someone who just clicks “Accept All” like it’s a sale on Flipkart.
" तू है हरजाई, तो अपना भी यही तौर सही
तू नहीं, और सही; और नहीं, और सही।"
Poet: Dr. Aasif Riyaz Qadeer
This couplet appears in the book Nadir o Nayab Ashar (p. 57), published by National Book Foundation, Pakistan, in 2014 .
