--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Female friendships that work are…" description: "\"“Female friendships that work are relationships in which women help each other belong to themselves.”\" — Louise Bernikow" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dca/louise-bernikow-32961_feminism_female-friendships-that-work-are-relatio_1206000.jpg" --- # Female friendships that work are relationships in which… ![“Female friendships that work are relationships in which women help each other belong to themselves.” quote by Louise Bernikow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dca/louise-bernikow-32961_feminism_female-friendships-that-work-are-relatio_1206000.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dca/louise-bernikow-32961_feminism_female-friendships-that-work-are-relatio_1206000.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dca/louise-bernikow-32961_feminism_female-friendships-that-work-are-relatio_1206000.jpg) > ““Female friendships that work are relationships in which women help each other belong to themselves.”” [Louise Bernikow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-bernikow/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Women supporting each other's authentic selves strengthens bonds and self‑esteem. **In simple terms:** Women help each other be themselves. Key Takeaway Cultivate mutual authenticity. Themes friendship self‑acceptance empowerment Mood supportive reflective Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - workplace - college - community groups - online forums Key Concepts psychology gender dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How do you encourage authenticity in friendships? - What challenges arise when self‑acceptance conflicts with group norms? A Different Perspective May overlook personal boundaries. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Female Friendships](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/female-friendships/) [Feminism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminism/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Friendships](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendships/) [Friendships Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendships-work-2228982/) [Relationships](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relationships/) [Relationships Women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relationships-women-401828/) [Work relationships](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-relationships/) ## Related quotes > [Female friendships that work are those in which women help each other belong to themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bubbly/female-friendships-that-work-are-those-in-which-women-help-each-other/) [Bubbly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bubbly/) > [I'm really excited that 'The Other Woman' did so well at the box office, and I hope that will keep encouraging people to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-jacobs/i-m-really-excited-that-the-other-woman-did-so-well-at-the-box-office/) [Gillian Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-jacobs/) > [A lot of ink is given over to mythologizing female friendships as curious, fragile relationships that are always intensely fraught. Stop reading writing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roxane-gay/a-lot-of-ink-is-given-over-to-mythologizing-female-friendships-as/) [Roxane Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roxane-gay/) > [In college, it's very easy to maintain your female friendships because you're in such close proximity all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/in-college-it-s-very-easy-to-maintain-your-female-friendships-because/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > [Girls get competitive, as though there's only one spot in the world for everything \_ but that's not true. We need to stick together…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/girls-get-competitive-as-though-there-s-only-one-spot-in-the-world/) [Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/) > [I'm used to one-dimensional female friendships. It's become a kind of trope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-brosnahan/i-m-used-to-one-dimensional-female-friendships-it-s-become-a-kind-of/) [Rachel Brosnahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-brosnahan/) > [I was always in and out of school. What I learned in high school is that female friendships are so much more important than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-dunst/i-was-always-in-and-out-of-school-what-i-learned-in-high-school-is/) [Kirsten Dunst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-dunst/) > [“Female friendships are special. We expect our girlfriends to live up to a higher standard. Guys can get away with any old BS because,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessie-elliot/female-friendships-are-special-we-expect-our-girlfriends-to-live-up/) [Jessie Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessie-elliot/) > [“Good female friendships are the strongest relationships in the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessie-elliot/good-female-friendships-are-the-strongest-relationships-in-the-world/) [Jessie Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessie-elliot/) > [In the forming of female friendships beauty seldom recommends one woman to another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-fielding/in-the-forming-of-female-friendships-beauty-seldom-recommends-one/) [Henry Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-fielding/) > [I think that the more I learn and grow as a woman, and the older I get, the more I realize just how important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariana-madix/i-think-that-the-more-i-learn-and-grow-as-a-woman-and-the-older-i-get/) [Ariana Madix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariana-madix/) > [Friendships take work. Use disagreements as opportunity to come out better on the other side](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-de-rabutin-chantal-marquise-de-sevigne/friendships-take-work-use-disagreements-as-opportunity-to-come-out/) [Marie de Rabutin-Chantal, marquise de Sevigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-de-rabutin-chantal-marquise-de-sevigne/) > [When I speak with people who love their jobs and have vital friendships at work, they always talk about how their workgroup is like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rath/when-i-speak-with-people-who-love-their-jobs-and-have-vital/) [Tom Rath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rath/) > [The friendships that take work can be the ones that are the most rewarding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idk/the-friendships-that-take-work-can-be-the-ones-that-are-the-most/) [Idk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idk/) > [“Our culture places a premium on work, not on relationships. Think about it. When we meet someone, our first question is not so what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-welch/our-culture-places-a-premium-on-work-not-on-relationships-think-about/) [Bob Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-welch/) ## More by Louise Bernikow > [In becoming archaeologists of the world of our mothers, we are trying to retrieve the female past and to invent a future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-bernikow/in-becoming-archaeologists-of-the-world-of-our-mothers-we-are-trying/) [Louise Bernikow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-bernikow/) > [Between sisters, often, the child's cry never dies down. "Never leave me," it says; "do not abandon me."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-bernikow/between-sisters-often-the-child-s-cry-never-dies-down-never-leave-me/) [Louise Bernikow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-bernikow/) > [Humor tells you where the trouble is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-bernikow/humor-tells-you-where-the-trouble-is/) [Louise Bernikow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-bernikow/) > [Everytime I say "sure" when I mean "no," everytime I smile brightly when I'm exploding with rage, every time I imagine my man's achievement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-bernikow/everytime-i-say-sure-when-i-mean-no-everytime-i-smile-brightly-when-i/) [Louise Bernikow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-bernikow/) > [The illusion of companionship sits waiting in the television set. We keep our televisions on more than we watch them - an average of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-bernikow/the-illusion-of-companionship-sits-waiting-in-the-television-set-we/) [Louise Bernikow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-bernikow/) > [What is haunting is that people fallen off the train threaten those who remain on board.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-bernikow/what-is-haunting-is-that-people-fallen-off-the-train-threaten-those/) [Louise Bernikow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-bernikow/) > [I say you hurt me. You say I scorned you. We say we care. It begins. The conversation begins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-bernikow/i-say-you-hurt-me-you-say-i-scorned-you-we-say-we-care-it-begins-the/) [Louise Bernikow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-bernikow/) > [What we have in common is what keeps us apart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-bernikow/what-we-have-in-common-is-what-keeps-us-apart/) [Louise Bernikow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-bernikow/) > [What is commonly called literary history is actually a record of choices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-bernikow/what-is-commonly-called-literary-history-is-actually-a-record-of/) [Louise Bernikow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-bernikow/) > [Much female conversation is, in fact, about survival - but in code.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-bernikow/much-female-conversation-is-in-fact-about-survival-but-in-code/) [Louise Bernikow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-bernikow/) > [Sometimes I feel like a sisterless child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-bernikow/sometimes-i-feel-like-a-sisterless-child/) [Louise Bernikow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-bernikow/) > [for many people, loneliness was an experience of time. 'Not knowing what to do with yourself' was the way it was usually put.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-bernikow/for-many-people-loneliness-was-an-experience-of-time-not-knowing-what/) [Louise Bernikow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-bernikow/) > [The question arises as to whether it is possible not to live in the world of men and still to live in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-bernikow/the-question-arises-as-to-whether-it-is-possible-not-to-live-in-the/) [Louise Bernikow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-bernikow/) > [we perceive silence where, in fact, there is a muffler.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-bernikow/we-perceive-silence-where-in-fact-there-is-a-muffler/) [Louise Bernikow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-bernikow/) [Explore all 15 Louise Bernikow quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-bernikow/) ## More Feminism quotes > [“But benevolent patriarchy is still patriarchy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/but-benevolent-patriarchy-is-still-patriarchy/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [It's easier to change a law than an age-old mentality. Deep down, many prejudices, many hostilities, many fears persist. But if we take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dacia-maraini/it-s-easier-to-change-a-law-than-an-age-old-mentality-deep-down-many/) [Dacia Maraini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dacia-maraini/) > [“This story is not at all an uncommon one in tech circles, including gaming. The popular notion is that women who get ahead must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bailey-poland/this-story-is-not-at-all-an-uncommon-one-in-tech-circles-including/) [Bailey Poland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bailey-poland/) > [Without meaning to sound anti-men, ghastly women are the closest you get to a male role.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-burke/without-meaning-to-sound-anti-men-ghastly-women-are-the-closest-you/) [Kathy Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-burke/) > [If the women in the factories stopped work for twenty minutes, the Allies would lose the war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-joffre/if-the-women-in-the-factories-stopped-work-for-twenty-minutes-the/) [Joseph Joffre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-joffre/) > [“It took me years to learn to sit at my desk for more than two minutes at a time, to put up with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/it-took-me-years-to-learn-to-sit-at-my-desk-for-more-than-two-minutes/) [Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/) > [“If attempting to make the world a civilized one, makes you a bad woman in the eyes of the dumb patriarchal society, then, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/if-attempting-to-make-the-world-a-civilized-one-makes-you-a-bad-woman/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“there was something of the women molded into the great, stalwart frame of Hollingsworth; nor was he ashamed of it; as men often are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/there-was-something-of-the-women-molded-into-the-great-stalwart-frame/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [Women rule the world. It's not really worth fighting because they know what they're doing. Ask Napoleon. Ask Adam. Ask Richard Burton or Richie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-bon-jovi/women-rule-the-world-it-s-not-really-worth-fighting-because-they-know/) [Jon Bon Jovi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-bon-jovi/) > [“Bármilyen idiótának, aki azt kérdezi: „Feminista vagy? Akkor elégeted a melltartóidat, mi? HE? Melltartókat égetsz, te feminista?” – szép nyugodtan így kell válaszolni: „Ostoba.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caitlin-moran/b-rmilyen-idi-t-nak-aki-azt-k-rdezi-feminista-vagy-akkor-el-geted-a/) [Caitlin Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitlin-moran/) > [People are capable of great, great change during the span of one lifetime. And women even more than men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/people-are-capable-of-great-great-change-during-the-span-of-one/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [Susan B. Anthony must be turning in her grave if she knew that millions of women who have the right to vote are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-m-kunin/susan-b-anthony-must-be-turning-in-her-grave-if-she-knew-that/) [Madeleine M. Kunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-m-kunin/) > [Success will come when the societal attitude changes and not a single woman in America asks herself the question 'What did I do?'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/success-will-come-when-the-societal-attitude-changes-and-not-a-single/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [Women know things that men will never know. We keep the best secrets. We tell the best stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/women-know-things-that-men-will-never-know-we-keep-the-best-secrets/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“Women will be at least 50 percent of the communications community workforce … from executive suite to interns. Why? The “integrated” agency will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoram-wind/women-will-be-at-least-50-percent-of-the-communications-community/) [Yoram Wind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoram-wind/) [Browse all 15,705 Feminism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Female friendships that work are relationships in which women help each other belong to themselves.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Louise Bernikow" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-bernikow/female-friendships-that-work-are-relationships-in-which-women-help/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Feminism" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-bernikow/female-friendships-that-work-are-relationships-in-which-women-help/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dca/louise-bernikow-32961_feminism_female-friendships-that-work-are-relatio_1206000.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dca/louise-bernikow-32961_feminism_female-friendships-that-work-are-relatio_1206000.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dca/louise-bernikow-32961_feminism_female-friendships-that-work-are-relatio_1206000.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Female friendships that work are relationships in which women help each other belong to themselves.” — Louise Bernikow", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Louise Bernikow", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-bernikow/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Female friendships that work are relationships...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-bernikow/female-friendships-that-work-are-relationships-in-which-women-help/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-bernikow/female-friendships-that-work-are-relationships-in-which-women-help/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```