A history of female friendship - Tiffany Watt Smith

Female friendship is a powerful, evolving force that has long been overlooked, yet reveals deep emotional, cultural, and social significance across history

About Tiffany Watt Smith I am an author and historian of emotions. I write about the cultural and historical forces that shape our most intimate worlds. I have won multiple awards for my research and writing, including grants from Wellcome Trust, the British Academy and the Arts and Humanities Research Council. I am the 2018 Philip Leverhulme Prize winner. I am Reader (emerita) at the School of Arts, Queen Mary University of London, where I taught for fifteen years and directed its Centre for the History of Emotions. In 2024, I was elected a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society.

Key Points • Female friendships have historically been overlooked but were deeply supportive and practical, often forming vital networks among unmarried or working women. • In the 19th century, female friendship became idealized as morally and emotionally superior, especially within the expectations of Victorian womanhood. • The 20th century saw increasing scrutiny of close female bonds, with fears around lesbianism and social nonconformity influencing how friendships were policed and expressed. • Modern ideas like the “toxic friend” reflect cultural shifts toward individualism, often placing unrealistic expectations on friendships.