Positive Portrayal

 Positive portrayals of women’s relationships in media are rare, and often collapse under the weight of stereotypes, at a time when we need more supportive sisterhoods.

Women relationships tend to be stereotyped, typically in a negative light in the media. Sisters, mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, co-sisters-in-law, best friends end up fighting for the same man. There is almost a universal perverse pleasure in watching these relationships burn to cinders.

There are very few positive portrayals of women relationships not marred by great tragedy. Even they seem to collapse under the weight of their own stereotypes. And, there’s this need to add commentary on as many feminist issues as possible. 

There seems to be this underlying competition we’re all engaged in constantly – the competition for approval and protection by (male dominated) society.

For women, community tends to be confined to boundaries of our relatives. It is heavily defined by societal rules. Even those who work don’t have the time or the space to nurture their relationships with their peers the way men do.

There’s always an overarching societal construct  that defines how they spend their time

Best friends from our youth get swallowed up within their own relationships and families Women are conditioned to think about their decisions within the confines of their relationships

Often, it takes weeks of work to even acknowledge what it is that they really want. As women, I think that’s a gift we need to give each other. 

We need the sisterhood. More so as we grow older. We are our own people. In order to never forget that, we need a safe space to express ourselves. We need our tribe.

Nandini Mithun