Women living in community is not a new concept. It is also one that Hollywood and other pop culture outlets have used as a plot point and theme for some time. I thought I might share some examples from TV, film, and in books of women living in community that can make us smile when we think about women living in community.
- The Golden Girls. This is the gold standard, no pun intended, when it comes to fictional women sharing a home and building community. This 80s sitcom was a turning point in the way our culture viewed aging women. Each character fit a stereotype. Blanche the very dichotomy of a southern belle combined with a sexually free mature woman. Rose was the simple Midwestern girl who was surprisingly wise. Dorothy had the New York street smarts and quick wit. Sophia held the role of the Italian matriarch who taught her daughter a few things.
Click below to read more examples of fictional women living in community.
- The Facts of Life. Staring a lot younger, and beginning in a boarding school, the Facts of Life morphed into a coming of age roommate sitcom. The twist was that the girls who had developed relationships while in high school were still together as 20-somethings making their way in the real world with the help of their older mentor, Mrs. Garret and later, her sister Beverly Ann.
- Kate and Allie. Another 80s sit com that featured women living together and cooperating was Kate and Allie. The idea revolved around two childhood friends who decided to move into together to raise their kids. The show was revolutionary in its time and the network struggled with how to portray two single women living together. However, the idea that two divorced friends could build community was compelling for viewers.
- The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. A great movie that most people haven’t seen was this independent film about a number of older British adults who followed an advertisement to move to a retirement community being established in India. Though the hotel appears to be a scam from the start, the separate individuals built a community and work together to save the Marigold. It is a heartwarming story that is well worth a viewing and stars a number of elite British actors like Dames Maggie Smith and Judi Dench.
- The Ladies of Covington Books by Joan Medlicott. These books are a part of a literary genre referred to as Matron Lit, a subcategory of Boomer Lit, where older women are the primary protagonists. The Ladies of Covington Series is a favorite among fans for showing strong women choosing to live together to enhance their lives and relationships.
There are a number of representations of women living in community represented in popular culture. What are some of your favorites?
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