The absolute necessity of female friendships
The article discusses the critical role of female friendships in the lives of Indian women, highlighting the social isolation many face. It contrasts the number of close friends American women have with the significantly fewer connections of rural Indian women. The piece emphasizes that societal norms and family structures often hinder women's ability to maintain friendships, which can have broader implications for their well-being.
- ▪A Gallup poll from 2004 found that the average American woman had eight close friends, while rural Indian women have only one to three close social connections.
- ▪The National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) indicates that only 42% of Indian women are allowed to travel alone outside the home.
- ▪Social isolation among young women is often enforced by family dynamics, particularly through the influence of mothers-in-law on their social interactions.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
An enduring fiction about female friendship is that it is a leisure activity, an indulgence that exists on the margins of real life. For adult Indian women, this real life is imagined as marriage, children, domestic work and caregiving, and in some cases, paid work too (and in rarer cases, perhaps even a career). If one does not understand how female friendship can be a lifeline, it is easy to dismiss the time spent sustaining it as wasteful.To appreciate the significance of female friendship, one must first understand the profound social isolation that defines the lives of countless Indian women.Aside from writing fiction, the author of this article builds human-centred technology products at a nonprofit working in maternal and child health.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at The Hindu — Top.
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