The White Lotus makes female friendship triangles look messy and toxic. Is it a fair depiction?

The White Lotus makes female friendship trios look toxic. Here’s what it gets wrong

Pop culture depictions of female friendship triangles paint a picture of power shifts,backstabbing and gossip. But there’s so much more to socialising in threes.

  • Nell Geraets

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Rawson faced horror as a teen;Hamish helped him feel safe. Then the roles reversed

Rawson Kirkhope and Hamish Young went to school together in Launceston. A shocking domestic-violence incident cemented their bond.

  • Tim Elliott
How do you help a neurodivergent kid make friends?

Some kids have never been invited to a party. Here’s why

Making and keeping friends can be challenging,but for neurodivergent children,these challenges become more complicated.

  • Felicity Caldwell
“You’ve lost so much weight,you must be so proud!” – why do people feel the need to tell me this?

The supposed ‘compliment’ I never want to hear again

So many of our common expressions mean the opposite of what they appear to say.

  • Richard Glover
Leslie Bibb,Michelle Monaghan and Carrie Coon as three friends in season three of The White Lotus.

That trio of tricky girlfriends on The White Lotus is me. Sometimes you need to let go

The passive-aggressive judgments,piranha smile competitiveness about bodies and the underlying loyalty - every line nails female friendship.

  • Kate Halfpenny
Ellen Burrows (left) and Fiona O’Riordan have supported each other through the ups and downs of their careers and personal lives.

‘She’s my ride or die’. Why women’s work friendships are different

Like family members,you don’t always choose who you work with,but for women,supportive colleagues can boost more than their mood.

  • Mercedes Maguire
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Sophia Quah moved to Australia towards the end of high school,and unlike many of her peers,took proactive steps to make friends as an early adult.

Kids make it look easy,so why is making friends as adults so hard?

It’s a key sign of social connection,but forging friendships at the start of university,a new job or a new neighbourhood can be daunting.

  • Daniel Lo Surdo

Despite ‘different interests’,these mates have had coffee every Sunday for 15 years

Same time,same table,same order:Ian and Scott met through their wives decades ago. Without ever planning ahead,they catch up over flat whites each week.

  • Susan Horsburgh
Young carer Charlie Dunn Rice with brother Thomas (Spider-Man costume),sister Ava and mum Kate Dunn.

‘A privilege’:What 15-year-old Charlie and other young carers want you to know

There are more than 390,000 carers under 25 in Australia,but their work often goes unnoticed,and advocates say more support is needed.

  • Lauren Ironmonger

According to Oprah,it’s life-altering. So what is the ‘let them’ theory?

Friends making plans without you? Let them. Dating someone who’s sending you mixed signals? Let them.

  • Emily McGrorey