Triggering, Eye-Opening & Entertaining AF: What It’s Like To Watch ‘Girlfriends’ Now That We’re Adults

Netflix damn near broke the internet when it announced several classic Black sitcoms would be coming to their streaming service. Girlfriends, starring Tracee Ellis Ross, Golden Brooks, Jill Marie Jones, and Persia White, was one of the shows the company acquired — and watching it as an adult is just as triggering and intriguing as we imagined it would be.

Girlfriends was originally released in the year 2000 (I was only 10, now I’m 30), so needless to say, it was a lot more difficult to understand the dynamics of the ladies’ relationships back then (although our grown behinds definitely thought we knew it all!). The show covers everything we’re currently dealing with and realizing as newly seasoned adults — toxic friendships, toxic masculinity, racism, love, self-esteem, career insecurity, and more. Through watching Toni, Joan, Lynn, and Maya go through their ups and downs, we’re growing, healing, and realizing we’re not alone in our personal battles. And, for that reason, bringing Girlfriends back was one of the best decisions Netflix has ever made.

Check out some reactions from fans revisiting the classic show and hit us up about any epiphanies you’ve had since watching.

ALSO: Which Beautiful, Fun, & Complex Girlfriends Character Are You? [QUIZ]

Realizing that Toni and Joan walked so Molly and Issa could fly on #Insecure.

Realizing that Lynn was not the problem and that we aspire to be her, actually.

Realizing that relationships between the sexes have always been complicated, to say the least.

As adults, we now know a horrible friend when we see one. Toni has real issues that need to be addressed.

We’re also learning about men who aren’t man enough for us.

Seriously though, we can’t say it enough… Lynn is life.

The Black community has been fighting cultural appropriation long before the Kardashians hit the scene.

So relatable. Nothing pulls us through this thing called adulting like the man upstairs.

Colorism is nothing new  and these uncomfortable conversations have always been important in order to affect change. We’ve got to keep talking and growing.

And last but not least, we all thought we’d have it all together by now — jokes on us, amirite?