Carrie Bradshaw is my hero. And I think it’s safe to say, I’m not alone.
It’s the end of an era. On Feb. 22, this coming Sunday, HBO will air its last episode of “Sex and the City.” For six seasons we have followed Carrie, a sex columnist for a New York newspaper, and her three ever-so Manhattan friends, in their romantic escapades. Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda and Samantha have redefined the meaning of the “fab four.”
Women have followed the wit and wisdom of “Sex and the City” like a religion. The episodes are a relationship manual. There isn’t a romantic or sexual situation too outrageous for these women to handle and it seems as if they’ve been through every problem. Real women can relate to these problems.
I’ve heard many girls refer to the show for guidance like a Christian would refer to the Bible. A girl would say, “My boyfriend did this (insert occurrence here)” and her friend would reply “Oh yeah, that’s what happened to (Charlotte/ Samantha/ Carrie/ Miranda),” using the show as an example of what to do when caught in “ex” situation.
Our heroines of “Sex and the City” handle each problem the way every other girl would handle it — girl talk. Nothing is too crass or embarrassing to talk about. This is the oldest, most tried and true form of female bonding, and when watching the characters review their plights, you can’t help but get sucked into their world.
With the show ending, I feel like I’m losing some friends. Watching the show has made me feel like I’ve gained some new incredibly chic girlfriends. (Now if only I could borrow Carrie’s clothes!) I feel like I am the fifth silent friend, I’m right there with them fighting the good fight for single women everywhere.
“Sex and the City” is the only show to date that has worked to exemplify what it really means to be a modern woman. We are still on the same quest to fulfill the life long need to find a good relationship. It may be a bumpy ride, but as long as you have your friends to fall back on, you’ll have enough strength to make it to the finish line.
Carrie says “As we drive along this road called life, occasionally a gal will find herself a little lost. And when that happens, I guess she has to let go of the coulda, shoulda, woulda, buckle up and just keep going.” Beautiful.
The show isn’t only about relationships with men, but about relationships with women and every other problem facing modern day women. Problems like the balancing of working in a still male dominated world, balancing this work with motherhood, and not being able to afford your rent because of an expensive shoe obsession. Where else would you find counsel on these issues?
The foursome has been through a multitude of issues such as unexpected pregnancy, breast cancer, weddings, divorces, infertility, toxic relationships and a wide range of adventures (or misadventures). One thing that has held consistent is that talking about it with your girlfriends will make any situation more bearable.
All of the characters on this show are challenging the stereotypes prescribed to women. One of the most interesting characters is Samantha. She’s a powerful PR agent who treats men as men usually treat women. She’s never looking for a meaningful, committed relationship, but only to satisfy her own fleeting needs. On a woman, these character traits are considered slutty; on a man, they are considered normal.
Miranda is a strong, successful lawyer and many of the men she has dated felt threatened by her success. In one episode she lied about her profession, telling men she was a flight attendant, and found that more men wanted to date her.
The dynamics of the different relationships each of the characters have with different men show a lot about societal perceptions of what a successful relationship should be. “Sex and the City” illustrated that as the world changes, the relationships between people also change. Needs, wants, realities and roles are different. We are not dating in the same world our parents were dating in, so why do we still feel that our relationships are to be modeled after theirs?
Miranda shows us that a woman can now be the primary bread winner. Samantha shows us that a woman’s pacification in a relationship is dead. Charlotte has shown that traditional womanly instincts aren’t dead and can thrive in a modern relationship. Carrie has given us a constant — we can always question everything. They all give us hope, that there is a good relationship for everyone willing to fight for it.
As we say goodbye to “Sex and the City” we won’t forget what it has given to us. The moral of this story is: you can get by with a little help from your friends.
— Stephanie Musso is a sophomore journalism major.