I’m not going to lie. This piece sent me down an internet wormhole in research fury as I searched for an answer for the pitch at large.

Personally, it does feel like women need more friends. I witness women as a whole interacting as a sisterhood on a regular basis. In general, men don’t seem to be forming communities on that scale.

Then, the bigger question is what makes women and our friendships so solid, so social, so symbiotic? Is it hormonal and genetic or socially learned and bred into us? As little girls growing into ourselves, did we engage in some monumental sleepover bonding experience that the boys simply missed out on?

Naturally, the internet provided a wealth of answers to my questions on gender identity and friendship. This Huffington Post article discusses the ways in which men and women respond to stress differently and how our hormones compel us to “tend and befriend” as a result.

Numerous social psychology studies show that having a supportive friend circle has its benefits in terms of wellness. Friendship can stave off illness, improve longevity, and early onset physical ailments. There were tons of buzz about how women not only tend to have a larger network of friends but also deeper and more honest connections – due to our tendency to share and seek advice rather than weather stormy seas alone.

However, there’s nothing specific that talks about whether or not we need more friends. Need is the key word here. Need in this statement feels somehow inferior in describe how important friends are to quality of life.

It is an important point to make is that we do need friends in order to live long and fulfilling lives, but the need for friendship is not gender specific. The need is a human one. Do we need more friends? At VINA, we believe that more is merrier and that deeper connections are even better.

What do you think? While women do tend to have more friends, do you believe that it comes from a need?

(Featured image via @madisoniseman)