Female Bonds in the Media

Today there seems to be a new forming dialogue on how women should be supportive of each other rather than constantly competing and putting each other down. The article, “The ‘Practical Magic’ of Sisterhood”, analyzes a 20-year-old film that has an entire plot dedicated to a sisterly bond that communicates the power of female support. While reading this movie’s summary, it occurred to me how many frequent movies in the media, whether they are aimed for children, adolescents, or adults, the majority do not focus on a strong bond between women. Instead, the most important relationship women stereotypically have is the love interest that is almost always heterosexual. I think moving forward in society it is important for the media to break down the stereotypes surrounding women’s relationship with other women by having more films and shows that cover positive female bonds that have a significant role in the plot. Media representation can be the tool to further spread the message of women supporting each other.