There are too many myths about female friendships that support the idea that female friends aren’t real. This is partly because of movies and tv shows that promote the idea that boys can build strong and supportive friendships, while girls can’t. In fact, most people believe that female friendships are built on gossip, jealousy and frequent arguments about boys.

However, this is not the case. Women are just as capable of building healthy, supportive friendships. Here are some of my favourite shows that manage to capture this.

Sister, Sister

Most of our first friendship experiences begin with our siblings. Sisters and girl cousins help us define what friendships with other girls can look and feel like. Tia and Tamera from Sister Sister, show us that sisters can be best friends. They also show us that friendships with this kind of a bond can be protective, empowering and fun. In fact, Tia and Tamera were twins born from different fathers (in the sitcom) and although they looked identical, they support each other’s interests and celebrate each other’s unique traits.

Booksmart

This movie is about two best friends who shared their high school experiences with each other. These two driven high school learners show us that girls can encourage and support each other to be the best version of themselves by meeting their educational goals and still being there to enjoy the fun times together. There’s no space for jealousy in this friendship.

Girlfriends

While they’re a bit older, the four beautiful, strong women on this show take you through their career, family and friendship journeys. They show us that as you grow up, your interests change and you and your friends may take on different career paths but doesn’t mean that female friendships can’t last right through to adulthood. They’re also able to speak through their differences and stay friends despite the different paths their lives take.

One on One

Breanna and Spirit from the old sitcom, One on One, are a really cool example of two high school friends who go through problems typically experienced by teenagers but stick it out by supporting each other when it matters the most. They never let boys come between their friendship and they also help each other make informed and responsible decisions when it comes to sex.

Let’s be honest Choma, everyone needs these kinds of female friendships in their life. While these are examples of healthy female friendships based on TV shows, it doesn’t mean that you can’t learn a thing or two about building and maintaining positive female friendships in real life.

Remember if you or a friend need advice or help, you can contact me here on Ask Choma, send me a Facebook Message, a Twitter DM, or a WhatsApp Message (071 172 3657).