The Enduring Power of Female Friendship

Do we need female friendship?

Have we always needed girlfriends? Do we need them at every age? Based on research from se

veral authors, we can learn a lot about our own friendships by looking backward and inward on female friendships. Sometimes we just need to look around to learn and grow.

Yes! The history of female friendships has been documented in books, movies and research findings. From The Red Tent to Thelma and Louise, from Little Women to Sex and the City, we do NEED our girlfriends. This was also documented in “The Enduring Power of Female Friendship” as well as “The Tending Instinct.” (We’ve talked about “The Tending Instinct” a lot. You can search for more blogs on this in the search space in the left column on Girlfriendology.com.)

Even though it was published in 2000, “The Enduring Power of Female Friendship,” by Sandy Sheehy, still has a lot to share about female friendships. Here’s what Amazon.com had to say:

From Publishers Weekly
In this weighty volume, Texan and magazine writer Sheehy (Texas Big Rich) attempts to track how the form and significance of friendships between women change throughout their lives. Describing the friendships of girls and women of all ages, she also examines the divergent views women from different generations may have about their girlfriends. For women who came of age in the 1950s or earlier, she finds, the relationship with a man always takes precedence over friendships; they also don’t discuss personal problems. Younger women, on the other hand, reject the idea of standing up a friend in favor of a boyfriend, and they don’t hesitate to discuss their personal problems or to ask a friend what’s wrong if she seems troubled. Sheehy affirms these relationships warmly and explains the important role they play in women’s emotional development and even physical health. Written in a friendly voice and sprinkled throughout with anecdotes that both quicken the pace of the narrative and provide depth and emphasis for Sheehy’s points, the book challenges readers to rethink the meaning and import of women’s friendships. “Female friendship is indeed a primary bond,” she writes. Blending quotes from interviews she conducted with ordinary women nationwide, sociological studies, conversations with psychotherapists and articles from women’s magazines, Sheehy makes a strong case. However, her description of “the ten forms of female friendship” (e.g., soulmates, companions in crisis) sometimes seems didactic and restricting, leaving little room for individual variation or quirks. On the whole, however, Sheehy’s lively book offers a framework within which women can consider and reevaluate their own friendships. (Aug.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
How women’s friendships have changed historically, how they change throughout one’s life, and their importance in the quality of women’s lives are covered in great detail in this intriguing book. A variety of destructive friendships are also addressed, followed by a list of how-to’s on friendship. Sheehy, a Texas-based journalist with a social science background, aimed to present a cross section of American women, but the reader will notice that those most often referred to are healthy, well-educated women at a mid- to upper-income level. Numerous anecdotes from the 204 women Sheehy interviewed illustrate her points, a feature that should attract a public library audience. Academics will find many questions for further doctoral research. Sheehy has done her homework; this work is well documented with dissertations and published papers covering a wide range of topics. Recommended for public and academic libraries. Margaret Cardwell, Georgia Perimeter Coll., Clarkston
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.