Sisters before misters: Majority of women say they'd rather be stuck inside with their best girlfriend than their partner

By Victoria McNally // SWNS

For over half of all women in the United States, the old adage “sisters before misters” might be more true than anyone thought.

According to a recent survey of 2,000 female Americans, 56% would rather be trapped in quarantine with their closest female friend over a romantic partner — including 60% of millennials between the ages of 24 to 39.

And an overwhelming 89% of respondents said that their friendships with other women are important to them, with almost a quarter (23%) calling them “essential.”

Of those polled, 47% believe that the pandemic has brought them closer to their best female friend, and 45% communicate with their best friend more now than they used to before the pandemic.

Yet another 54% — including 60% of millennials – have developed a new best friendship as a result of becoming close with someone else during the pandemic.

The survey, commissioned by BloomsyBox and conducted by OnePoll, also revealed that the typical woman has known her best female friend for an average of 12 years.

In contrast, only eight percent of respondents said that they have no close female friendships in their lives.

But regardless of gender, 59% of women said that the pandemic made them realize that their current best friend will be in their life forever.

When asked to describe how their best friends helped them in 2020, respondents shared stories about women who sent them care packages, helped to pay bills or buy groceries, delivered home-cooked meals and offered emotional support during tough times.

Eighty-nine percent also said that these relationships have helped them cope during the pandemic, with over one in 10 (12%) women saying that they “wouldn’t be here without” their best female friend.

Fifty-two percent even said they miss seeing their best friend more than they miss their immediate family.

“Galentine’s Day has quickly grown from a sitcom tagline into a holiday because it is the perfect opportunity to show your closest girlfriends how much you appreciate and value their friendship,” said BloomsyBox Director of Product Marketing Gretchen Erle. “And now, more than ever, sending your best friend a thoughtful gift is a special way to bring a smile to their face even if you can’t be there in person.”

For some respondents, there’s a much stronger overlap between friends and family members — over half, in fact, (55%) say that their best friend is a member of their family, and 70% said they’d probably still be friends with family members even if they weren’t related.

Another 55% also said that they consider their mothers to be their friend before they consider her to be their parent and 68% say they’re close with their moms, compared to 53% who said the same of their fathers.

HOW ARE WOMEN CONNECTING TO FRIENDS IN QUARANTINE?