Sisterhood. It’s that bond that most women crave. It’s the experience that shapes a woman and how she views life. It’s a connection that goes beyond blood and centers around unconditional support of the women around you.
As someone who grew up with sisters and only having female friends and connections, sisterhood is something I treasure and seek. Anytime a movie or show I watched portrayed any kind of sisterhood through either actual sisters or close friendship, it instantly piqued my interest and touched my heart. There’s a reason Disney’s Frozen (2013) is one of my favorite Disney movies of all time and there’s a reason Derry Girls (2018) and Alexa and Katie (2018) are some of my ultimate comfort shows.
Here’s a rundown of some of the most powerful portrayals of sisterhood (in my opinion) in recent television:
Frozen 1 & 2:
Before Frozen (2013), it felt as if almost every Disney movie either centered around romance or if there wasn’t romance, men were typically the main characters. And while there is romance in Frozen, the main plot is about the journey and reconciliation of the two sisters, Elsa and Anna. The forever winter wasn’t broken by a kiss from a random man, but from the pure bond and familial love between sisters. Then, in Frozen 2 (2017), the sisterhood theme was explored even deeper and showed how far the two girls would go for each other. The bond of Elsa and Anna portray the strong and unbreakable bonds between sisters, and how these bonds also positively affect those around them.
Derry Girls:
Not only does this show do an amazing job at balancing sisterhood, friendship, and teenage dramatics – it’s probably one of the funniest series made in the 21st century. Based in Northern Ireland in the 1990s, this show follows a group of girls plus one guy that they consider a “derry girl” by association. While they fight and bicker a lot, they also continuously have each others’ backs, defend each other, and go on crazy adventures that usually end up “trauma-bonding” them. Watching this show is sure to fill your heart with adoration for the group’s bond and sisterhood, while also showing that when it comes to true friendships and connections, it’s almost damn near impossible to separate women.
Bottoms:
Yes, this movie above all, is a lesbian movie. But – it explores so many other themes of young adulthood in women, especially sisterhood. The movie focuses on a fight club created by the two main characters, originally just trying to get with girls. Yet, the club itself transforms into a team of women with all completely different stories and backgrounds. These girls blow up cars together, run fundraisers, learn how to defend themselves, and in the end kill an entire football team together – truly peak sisterhood. These women go through highs and lows together, and are an example of how any woman, despite different backgrounds, can form strong bonds and connections with each other.
Waitress:
For my musical plug in of the day, I recommend the pro-shot version of Waitress: The Musical (2023). This musical follows a waitress at a bakery and focuses a great deal on her connection with her two fellow employees as she battles marital problems while expecting a baby. This piece explores hard conversations between the women, but also ultimate understanding and support. This musical is extremely relatable and significant to the lives of many women who are simply just trying to get through life. Without the support given to each other, the characters would not have been as strong and able to push through each of their challenges – showing the impactful themes of sisterhood and connection.
Barbie:
Last but not least, you can’t talk about female connections and sisterhood without mentioning Barbie (2023). In my personal opinion, I actually find the animated Barbie movies much more powerful in terms of the sisterhood theme as they tend to focus on sisters or strong friendships between women, such as Barbie and the Three Musketeers (2009) and Barbie and The Diamond Castle (2008). Even so, the recent live action does a good job at portraying and exploring the importance of female connections and empowerment through those sisterhoods. You actually are able to witness and watch a woman learn the importance of female connections (especially in patriarchal worlds) in real time and embrace new sides of her as a result.
Now, of course, these are just a small selection of films centering around sisterhood and female connections. The Pitch Perfect trilogy, Carole and Tuesday (2019), Winx Club (2004), Monster High films, Friends (1994), girlfriends (2007), and so much more are amazing examples of media that focus on the empowering and uplifting connections between women.
With recent shows like The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives (no hate – this is, in fact, one of my favorite reality tv shows), sometimes the themes of sisterhood get misrepresented and lost in translation. Female friendships in the past and now have a stereotype of being “fake” or superficial, yet most are the complete opposite. For women, there is almost nothing more important than a stable support system and for the most part, that support system is the women around them. When media and television make the active choice to embrace these connections instead of profiting off toxicity, it’s powerful.