Well actually I have friendzoned people, and been friendzoned, so I do have firsthand experience
As for the question at hand, @Coops the friendzone is definitely real. How people react to it is the more complex part, and varies widely. Some people take it maturely and simply accept that the other person is not interested. Others take it badly and completely blame the other person due to a misguided sense of self-entitlement. Also, I don't understand why you frame the topic under a female-centric argument, while the act of friendzoning happens between both males and females.
That's why I asked. I wanted to know how people reacted and what they thought about it.
Sorry if I made it seem that it is only female-centric. I did try to make it clear that I understand it can go both ways @ortin. I have more experience with male relatives talking about it though, admittedly. None of my female friends/family have talked about something like this with me; I can't say they have never had it happen, since I don't know. To be fair, a lot of my male relatives come from evangelical backgrounds - they think women are meant for sex and babies. They don't see women as independent and autonomous. They are a prime example of the religious patriarchal family dynamic and they are usually the ones who talk about friendzoning, in the way I mentioned. There is a long line of narcissistic personality disorder in my family too...thank fuck I was adopted. 
