The Power of Female Friendship: How Friendships Influence Health, Growth, and Social Impact

Selected 100 classic TED talks, each 8-15 minutes long, covering innovation, personal growth, and future trends. Provides MP3 streaming, download, and English transcripts to improve listening and speaking skills. Ignite your learning passion with the power of ideas! Here is this issue's collection of 【TED】100 classic talks for listening practice, accumulate consistently, and make your English more practical!

So I was thinking a lot about female friendship, and by the way, these two women I'm honored to call my friends have been so for a very long time. Yes, we have. One of the things I reflected on about female friendship is something Savante said: You can tell a lot about a woman by the company she keeps. So let's start with... We're in big trouble. I'm getting one of those waters; I'm extremely dry. You're taking up our time. We have very limited... just being with her drains life from it. You ain't seen nothing yet. Anyway, sorry. Tell me, what do you look for in a friend? I look for someone who has a sense of fun, who's audacious, who's forthcoming, who is politically aware, who has even a small passion for the planet. Someone decent, with a sense of justice, and who considers me worthwhile.

Thinking this morning, I realize I don't know what I would do without my women friends. I exist because of them. You're one of them. Anyway, they make me stronger, smarter, braver, and tap my shoulder when I might need course correction. Most of them are younger than me. I include you in that because it’s wonderful to have someone around to play with and learn from as we age. As we grow older and navigate different life journeys, how do we keep friendships vital? It takes effort. She doesn't invite me much, so I use social media, emails, and texts to stay connected because I know they need my counsel and support.

Most of my friends are writers, activists, or actors, and I want them to know I'm there for them as quickly as possible. I spell out my words of happiness, congratulations, or sadness—every letter. With age, I understand more the importance of friendships, making an effort to connect, organize playdates, and send books I love to friends. For example, Jane sent me many books about female friendship, revealing extensive research on the subject. I was grateful. This research, including a Harvard Medical School study, shows that women with close female friendships are less likely to develop physical impairments as they age and tend to live more vital, joyful, and longer lives.

Women live five years longer than men, and lack of close female friends is detrimental to health, comparable to smoking or being overweight. When stressed, women’s bodies produce oxytocin, a feel-good hormone that increases in female friendship, which may contribute to longer life. Men, due to testosterone, don’t experience this effect as strongly. Shared laughter, emotional support, and intimate connections add years and joy to our lives.

Female friendships are not just social but spiritual acts. Close women friends reveal tenderness, vulnerability, and love. Unlike men’s side-by-side friendships, women’s friendships are face-to-face, emotionally deep, and involve vulnerability vulnerability. Men often hide emotions due to societal norms, whereas women freely express themselves, which strengthens their sense of self and community.

Women's friendships serve as a renewable source of power. Older women, as a growing demographic, can harness this power to impact the world, influence consumer standards, promote local production, reduce fossil fuel dependence, and support democracy and well-being through sustainable practices. Female solidarity and sisterhood can drive social and environmental change. Historical perspectives, like Aristotle’s view, overlooked women's friendships, yet modern recognition shows women are essential for societal balance and change, emphasizing gender equality and empowerment. Close female friendships provide models for cooperation, influence, and resilience, offering a blueprint for a healthier, more just world.