Galentine’s Day is a day supposed to celebrate female friendship. How do women of different ages in Cardiff view the importance of female friendship?
I remember the first time I met Jinghan. We were 7 years old and we walked into the same primary school class for the first time together. We didn’t know anyone else so sat together, she smiled to me, and we’ve been friends ever since. We’ve been there for each other when we lost boy friends, when our exams failed and our careers took a wrong turn. She has been my best friend for over 17 years.
And scientists at UCLA found that having close female relationships improves confidence, happiness and good health. Social interactions between women have shown to increase serotonin and oxytocin (the bonding hormone), which can boost a woman’s mood, encourage positive behaviour and improve overall health.
Anne Campbell, the professor of psychology at Durham University, said: “Female same-sex friendships appear to be more intimate than men’s. Women’s friendships are an attempt to re-create a particularly close bond of communion that mirrors the kind of relationship most often found among blood relatives.”
From strong bonds in youth to unwavering support in old age, female friendships are a vital source of strength, joy and solidarity, whatever the generation. Galentine’s Day, is a day created to celebrate female friendship, celebrated annually on February 13th. Ahead of Galentine’s Day, women in Cardiff share their experiences and thoughts on female friendship.
Young Women: Friends let you be yourself
Emily, 24, and Isabella, 23, have been friends for nine years. They met each other in high school after watching the same film and then went to the same university where they remain best friends.
Isabella said:“When you are a little girl, you probably pretended to be something you thought they wanted you to be in order to have some cool friends. However, if it’s a real friend, you don’t have to pretend, you can be yourself.”
“Romantic relationships may break down, but female friendships can last,” Emily said. “Even though we keep getting older, you watch this girl growing into a woman with you, and it’s an incredible experience.”
The pair agree that Galentine’s Day is a meaningful day: “Maybe we can celebrate this holiday every day we stay together, but there is Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and Valentine’s Day. Why can’t we have a special day to remember our female friends?”
Jessica, 19, and Sophie, 21, have been in the same class since primary school. From the day they met each other, they have never been separated for 14 years. As they shared this memory, the pair of friends giggled and tapped each other on the shoulder, and when one finished, the other was able to tacitly follow the next sentence.
“The most stupid thing we did was when we went trampolining at the trampoline park in a heavy rainstorm, neither of us wearing raincoats, and then we had to race to walk home in the rain later. People on the road might think we were crazy, but we were laughing all the time at that moment.” said Sophie.
Jessica said: “The different roads take people to different places, and some people would not be able to keep the contact with their past friends. But luckily, I’ve stayed with her.”
Shiqi,26, a computing student at Cardiff University, said: “When I was a child, I might feel jealous of a friend’s new dress. But as I’ve grown up, I think normal female friendships are about appreciating and complimenting your friend’s beauty!”
Middle-Aged Women: The balance of friendship and family
45-year-old Jane, finance officer, and 50-year-old Melanie, company administrator, met at work. They are not only colleagues, but also best friends. They have supported each other through career shifts, motherhood, and personal struggles.
“When did we meet? In 2005?” Jane can’t remember exactly when they met. Melanie corrected her “2004. It was a long time ago. You’ve been with me half my life.”
“We joke that we’re ‘work wives,’ but honestly, she’s been there for me in ways no one else has,” Jane said. “After I became a mother, my circle of friends became smaller because I was busy and would have no time to go out with them. But a true friend is someone who will come to your house to see you and be here with you as your children grow up. My daughter loves her very much.”
“Friendship isn’t effortless,” Melanie admits. “Between managing a career, raising kids, and keeping a marriage alive, it’s easy to let friendships fade. But she has taught me that maintaining friendship is just as important as any other relationship.”
Their friendship, they say, is built on honesty and consistency: “Life gets busier, but we always make time for each other.”
49-year-old Seema, a senior policy advisor, believes that the younger girl has the larger the circle of friends. As she reaches a mature age, she is left with fewer friends, but all of them can be absolutely trusted.
Seema said: “While Galentine’s Day is a new concept, I’m glad to know that it’s a day when you can do more than just prepare to spend the following Valentine’s Day with your husband, but you can choose to spend it with your friend. My partner and my female friend are equally valued in my life.”
Older Women: Friendship as a lifelong anchor
Jo and Judy, both 76 years old. Their friendship has spanned seven decades, through marriages, children, and now, retirement.
“We used to be neighbors, we met when we were little girls,” Jo said. “We’ve been through everything important together, school, weddings, funerals, and now we are watching our grandkids grow up.”
Judy recalled how the friendship developed over time, “There were years when we rarely saw each other due to the pressures of life. But the thing about true friendship is that you can always pick up where you left off. You see each other after a long time and it’s still like old times.”
Jo said: “People usually think of romance as the greatest love story in life, but for me, she knows me better than anyone else, I couldn’t be who I am without her. My husband is even jealous of my relationship with her.”
Galentine’s Day isn’t just a day, it’s a reminder that women’s relationships are just as important as romantic ones. The women of Cardiff have each other’s backs, and their friendships are a proof of a female strength. When life gets tough, the simple but firm companionship of a true female friend is your shelter forever.
Just as American actress and activist Jane Fonda said: “Women’s Friendship are like renewable source of power.”