In many countries it is believed that friendships must be within a persons own gender, not so with Americans. Many Americans assume that men and women can be friends without engaging in a sexual relationship. It is not uncommon for men and women to travel on business trips together, staying in their own hotel room of course.
It's a bit confusing when they try to name their friendship so you have to listen to the clues in the conversation. Women will often say they went shopping with their "girlfriend" or they had lunch with their "girlfriend". This means it's a close friend who happens to be a girl/woman. There is no term for male friends- they won't say I went shopping with my boyfriend. A "boyfriend" is reserved for romantic relationships.
Men who are describing their male friends never say boyfriend, that would imply a homosexual relationship. Instead they may say their "buddy" or "friend". Even in homosexual relationships the term boyfriend isn't used as often as "partner".
Separately both men and women may refer to each other as boys and girls. "Boys night out" means no wives or girlfriends are invited, only the guys. Women may go on a "girls trip" meaning no husbands or boyfriends are invited.
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