Are Girlfriends the New Husbands?

Seeing that article title in last month’s issue of Marie Claire caused me to be curious, but before reading it I also felt like I knew what the article was likely about. And I was right. In a time where there are more single women than ever (a record 46 percent of adults 25 to 34 are unmarried) and women are staying single longer (the average age of a bride has risen 3 years to 27), you’ve got to think how without the companionship of a spouse and everything that comes with it, what are women doing to fill that gap. Significant others definitely serve a purpose, but in the mean time, perhaps most of that purpose can be filled with the camaraderie of your best girl friend. I mean the definition of camaraderie is "a spirit of familiarity and trust existing between friends". The article says, "As we move away from early marriage, when a woman's life isn't all wrapped up by age 30, friends play a role somewhere between spouse and therapist." As a single girl I can definitely relate to this. I mean, you've been together for years, share the highs and lows, support each other, probably accompany each other as dates to various occasions - without a significant other we invest a lot of time in these friendships. We check up on each other. We take care of each other. I just thought it was super interesting to see it in print because until then, I'd not actually thought about it, and definitely wouldn't think of it as a trend.  

The article also provided examples of how society has ALWAYS been fascinated by the bond of best girlfriends: from Laverne and Shirley, Thelma and Louise, Romy and Michele, Rachel and Monica, to the most recent Hannah and Marnie (on Girls in case you’re not familiar). This transcends into real life too. Think about Tina Fey and Amy Poehler hosting the Golden Globes. They are both strong and funny women where either one could have done the job on their own, but everyone was excited to see them, see their friendship and their ease in real life. It’s almost like the new power couple in way! One of my favourite lines from Sex and the City is from the second last episode where Mr. Big is in the coffee shop talking to Miranda, Samantha, and Charlotte about Carrie and says, “You three know her better than anyone, you're the loves of her life. And a guy's just lucky to come in fourth.” We’ve always known that friendships are important and special, but this is also why I think it’s important to appreciate and nurture the few that make your life the best it can be. Life is not a popularity contest. It's not about how many friends you have, but (kind of like a significant other) about finding that special one, or two, or in the case of Sex and the City, three that emulate that of a companion. The ones you can’t live without! 

I thought this article was a nice reminder, that just because we might be single, we are never alone. I will end with another favourite quote from Sex and the City said by Charlotte to the other girls, ''Maybe we can be each other's soul mates, and then we can let men be just these great, nice guys to have fun with.''