While the aim of Love Island has always been to find romantic love, when I think back on the most fulfilling connections of the show’s past eight years, it’s the sisterhoods formed between female contestants that have reflected the greatest loves of all.
After last night's episode, viewers voiced their admiration for the growing bonds between the girls - especially Whitney Adebayo, Catherine Agbaje,Ella Thomas and Jess Harding. When Whitney's partner Mehdi Ednowas dumped from the villa following a brutal dumping, she was heartbroken. At first, Whitney kept a brave face until Jess told her to stop bottling in her emotions and let it out. What followed was Whitney letting out a gut-wrenching cry that made the rest of the villa stand still. The girls immediately huddled around her shielding her from the rest of the villa. It was clear that Whitney's cry represented weeks of emotion, anxiety and frustration that was bubbling at the surface.
This was a truly beautiful moment as girls have clearly created a safe space for them all to release their emotions. It just shows the importance of having those tight female bonds in an intense environment like the Love Island villa. The sisterhood was definitely missing from the winter season, so the bonds this summer are a breath of fresh air.
Although men and women do complement each other, as women, we thrive on strong relationships with our girlfriends. Such friendships give women an outlet to share their problems, thoughts, feelings, and triumphs with those they feel a close bond with.
If we look back on the best series of the show - the ones with the strong female friendships remain undefeated. In season seven after breaking up with her boyfriend Jake Cornish, Liberty Poolechose to leave the programme mere days before the final. 'You may not have felt like you found love in Jake, but I found love in you,' Kaz Kamwitold a teary Liberty just before her departure. There wasn't a dry eye in the nation. Both of their romantic relationships didn't work out after the show and the duo remain best friends till this day. Their genuine bond just reinforced the fact that friendship isn’t a consolation prize; it can be the only thing that keeps you together when your heart gets trampled on national TV.
Another example of sisterhood came from series five's Amber Gill, Anna Vakili and Yewande Baila. When Micheal Griffiths broke Amber's heart after Casa Amor, Anna fiercely came to Amber's defence even if it made her look bad in the process. The trio's friendship also provided some light-hearted relief throughout the series.
Not only does a villa sisterhood show a much-needed alternative vision of love and affection, these connections are essential in a heavily gendered environment like this one. Love Island can often magnify issues that run rampant in our society like slut-shaming; the last summer season, Tasha Ghouriand Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu were victims of this. When Tasha was merely exploring other connections - which is the object of a dating show - she was labelled 'fake' by the boys and was made to feel isolated. Whilst Ekin-Su was met with the same treatment and a vile public backlash. Of course, it shouldn't be down to the women to stamp this out but having a unified front in this intense situation makes the world of difference.
This season the girls are doing just that - they stand by each other and hold the men to account when needed. When Sammy Root tried to embarrass Catherine by voicing that her partner wasn't physically attracted to her, Whitney was right by her side ensuring he knew how wrong he was. This strong female unit has ensured that the typical 'lad culture'hasn't been able to slip through the cracks.
Love Island just show that if you're a female, no matter your age, treasure your girlfriends for as long as possible - they truly are the backbone of your support system.