A womance is a close but non-sexual relationship between two (or more) women, a form of homosocial

Homosocial

In sociology, homosociality describes same-sex relationships that are not of a romantic or sexual nature, such as friendship, mentorship, or others. The opposite of homosocial is heterosocial, preferring non-sexual relations with the opposite sex...

 intimacy. The word is the female equivalent of a bromance

Bromance

A bromance is a close but non-sexual relationship between two men, a form of homosocial intimacy.-Etymology:Bromance is a portmanteau of the words bro or brother and romance...

, being a portmanteau of the words woman and romance. The term has become increasingly popular in recent years.

Popular Culture

Examples of womances in popular culture include the films Thelma and Louise

Thelma and Louise

Thelma & Louise is a 1991 film co-produced and directed by Ridley Scott and written by Callie Khouri, the film's plot revolves around Thelma and Louise's escape from their troubled and caged lives. It stars Geena Davis as Thelma and Susan Sarandon as Louise, and co-stars Harvey Keitel as a...

(1990), Muriel's Wedding

Muriel's Wedding

Muriel's Wedding is a 1994 Australian-French romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by P. J. Hogan. The film, which stars actresses Toni Collette, Rachel Griffiths, Sophie Lee, and Bill Hunter, focuses on the socially awkward Muriel whose ambition is to have a glamorous wedding and improve...

(1994), Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion (1997) and Bridesmaids

Bridesmaids (2011 film)

Bridesmaids is a 2011 American romantic comedy film written by Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo, directed by Paul Feig and produced by Judd Apatow, Barry Mendel, and Clayton Townsend. The plot centers on Annie ....

(2011), as well as the TV series Laverne and Shirley.

The new Australian feature film Jucy

Jucy

Jucy is an Australian comedy feature film produced in 2010 about the womance between two best female friends. The film was written by Stephen Vagg, directed by Louise Alston and produced by Kelly Chapman...

(2010) is billed as a 'womantic' comedy.

See also

• Buddy film
  Buddy film
  The buddy film is a film genre in which two people of the same sex are paired. The two often contrast in personality, which creates a different dynamic onscreen than a pairing of two people of the opposite sex. The contrast is sometimes accentuated by an ethnic difference between the two...
  
  
• Female bonding
  Female bonding
  Female bonding is the formation of a close personal relationship between women. Female bonding is a term that is used in ethology, social science, and in general usage to describe patterns of friendship, attachment, and cooperation in women; or in the case of ethology, associations between females...
  
  
• Homosociality
  Homosociality
  In sociology, homosociality describes same-sex relationships that are not of a romantic or sexual nature, such as friendship, mentorship, or others. The opposite of homosocial is heterosocial, preferring non-sexual relations with the opposite sex...
  
  
• Jucy
  Jucy
  Jucy is an Australian comedy feature film produced in 2010 about the womance between two best female friends. The film was written by Stephen Vagg, directed by Louise Alston and produced by Kelly Chapman...
  
  
• Showmance
  Showmance
  "Showmance" is the second episode of the American television series Glee. The episode premiered on the Fox network on September 9, 2009. It was written by series co-creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan and directed by Murphy. The episode sees the glee club attempt to recruit new...
  
  
• Romantic friendship
  Romantic friendship
  The term romantic friendship refers to both very close but non-sexual relationship and at times physical relationship between friends, often involving a degree of physical closeness beyond that which is common in modern Western societies, and may include for example holding hands, cuddling,...