Friendship between women is sacred and special and we should be encouraging it. We should be embracing it. We should work hard to be a part of it. After all, women are half of the world’s population and together we can make the most extraordinary things happen. We can make impossible things possible. But most importantly, we can make each other be seen, heard and acknowledged.
Together, we are a force and it is about time films and series convey examples of strong women friendships; women friendships where we can grow, support one another and achieve our goals with the help of a strong network of women cheering us on and standing behind us, ready to be our safety net and pushing us out of our comfort zone at the same time. Surrounded by women, we are powerful.
However, I am sure you have noticed that so many films and series portray women friendships negatively. We are led to believe we are harmful to one another. So many shows depict women friendships as having a negative impact on women. But is that really the case or is that the manipulation set in motion by the male gaze’s fearful perception of what happens should women truly connect?
Quite frankly, we’ve had enough of that negative propaganda of depicting women friendships on screen where women are each other’s enemies and competition. This is an ugly stereotype entirely created by a male point of view and further perpetuated in the film industry, which has, until recently been very much in the domain of men. This sickening patriarchal idea of women inherently hating each other serves to keep us apart, ladies, and only apart we are considered ‘manageable’ for this patriarchal world. We have been artificially kept apart because we present a force of half of the world’s population.
We have been taught to keep each other’s distance. This idea has been pushed onto us for so long because of the fear from a minority of traditional men believing women joining forces to better the world would tarnish their patriarchy. This idea, created by men, has been forced down our throats by male-dominated media. And we swallowed each bite of it. For so long, we were in fact brainwashed that women friendships can be harmful, competitive and full of jealousy and hatred. But is that really the case? Or have we been taught to think and behave this way? Because we shouldn’t forget the power of media – media is a secondary socialiser in addition to your parents and peers. So the power of media is undeniable. Hence, let’s open our eyes and not let us be deceived.
As a group we are unstoppable and fearless and powerful. As a group, connected, we are a force!
One series that is redefining female friendships and dismantling stubborn stereotypes is Dollface. Therefore, I was super excited that Disney Plus’s Star division started streaming first season of ABC Signature Studio’s Dollface on 5th March. So far, there’s only two episodes available as episodes will be released on a weekly basis.
Created and written by Jordan Weiss, the series first aired in the States on Hulu in November 2019 and has now reached the U.K. as well. The series boasts with some of the most badass, talented and creative women executive producers like Margot Robbie, Kat Dennings, Jordan Weiss and Stephanie Laing. Its cast is equally badass; Kat Dennings, Shay Mitchell, Brenda Song, Esther Povitsky, Brianne Howey, Malian Åkerman, Vella Lovell.
Dollface is based around the premise of women friendships. The series features a group of girlfriends and their ability to unify when one of them is dumped by her boyfriend in the most insensitive way possible. Jules was convinced she had met the boy of her dreams which caused her to inevitably ditch her friends. Dumped by her boyfriend, who represented her whole world, she needs to find her way back to her women friends she has left behind so she could completely immerse herself into her relationship with her boyfriend. The breakup solidifies to her the importance the girls had in her life and the series shows her and her women gang back together, setting out on adventures.
In fact, if we are completely honest, ladies, Jules’ is a common mistake all of us have made at one point in our lives and sometimes, unfortunately, we still repeat it. Haven’t we learned our lesson? The show taught us that women friendships are very valuable.
The first episode is a beam of positivity for women on screen as the friends portray non-stereotypical behaviour to Jules’ situation, behaviour that is far from jealous, competitive or negative. The first few episodes show Jules finding her way back to her old gang of women friends. Her squad is not consumed with any of those aforementioned stereotypes. In fact, they yearn to be each other’s support and they stand up for one another. But not to give out more details, I invite you to treat yourselves to something special. Dollface is refreshing, optimistic and right on time for this dazzling month dedicated to women. I dare you to give this series a try.