It’s usually the boys’ friendships that are grabbing the attention on Love Island, but this year, the girls are demonstrating just how amazing female friendships can be.
In years gone by, the story of friendship on Love Island that has dominated press coverage has been about the boys. Call it bromance if you like, but the men have historically held court as the jokers and the clowns, who keep each other buoyant even when times get tough. Remember Chris Hughes and Kem Cetinay from season three and their budding friendship, which saw them actually release a single upon leaving the villa? Or Tommy Fury and Curtis Pritchard cementing their love for each other with a kiss in season give? And who could forget the Do Bits Society (DBS) of season four?
Among the women, however, friendships have at times wavered, or broken into splinter groups. Part of this is of course due to the way that the men often interact with different women at once, making them into competitors in all but name. Who can forget the explosive arguments between Kady McDermott and Malia Arkian in season two over a spilt drink? Or Olivia Atwood going in on Montana Brown in season three? Or Maura Higgins and Molly-Mae Haguein season four?
A definite pattern has emerged over the seasons, and whether that’s down to editing or genuine character clashes, I guess we’ll never know. It does mean, however, that the emerging hero story of women supporting women in this season tastes even sweeter, though.
Anyone tuning into last night’s episode will have been struck by the unity, care and support all of the female contestants were showing towards one another. When sitting in the villa wondering what was going on over in Casa Amor, the women were amping each other up and reassuring each other, but also reminding each other of their worth.
When the producers sent over a postcard showing the girls what the boys had been up to while they’ve been away, the girls pulled together. Liberty Poole, who has been a champion of fellow contestants like Kaz Kamwi, immediately put her friends first by lobbing the postcard into the pool, and the women were soon cuddled together reassuring each other. Millie Court followed this up by giving a short one-on-one chat to camera in which she said she was upset for all the girls because of the boys’ behaviour.
It’s a trend we’ve seen throughout the series, Liberty and Kaz's friendship has been the most genuine connection we've seen so far - their scenes together becoming viral memes within an instant. Faye and Sharon being torn apart when the latter was dumped during a recoupling was one of the most heart-breaking break-ups so far, and who didn't love watching Georgia give Lucinda elocution lessons on Unseen Bits after her vernacular became the joke of the villa?
In TV and film, the strength, loyalty, support and care that so many of us know to be so intrinsic to female friendships so often fails to make the cut. Instead women are often portrayed as rivals in the pursuit of the affection of men, pitted against one another or compared, and demonstrated as “bitchy” or “catty.”
For many of us, these representations don’t even come close to what we experience in our own friendships, which are so often bedrocks of our lives that provide a constant level of support when other things move and change in our lives. The women on this series of Love Island are doing a lot to show the world a snapshot of what this can be like, and we are totally here for it!
Read More:
Since Everyone Is Asking About The ‘R Brand’ Hats On Love Island, Here’s Where They're From
Why I'm Glad Love Island's Aaron Said What He Said About 'Career-Driven' Sharon
Love Island's Shannon Singh On Finally Taking Ownership Of Her Body