Double-crosser, traitor, instigator…Et Tu, Brute? Mean girls are like a pack of lemmings with really long hair. Most people want to see you do better, just not better than them. Though men aren't immune, women are often considered more likely to be found talking behind each other's backs. “We’ve met” is Southern Lady code for “I remember you because you were horrible to me, but you don’t remember me because you were horrible to everyone.”
Call me simple, but gossip, jealousy, and exclusivity are actions I’ve never understood. Why do women often feel so insecure that they makeup stories or share intimacies in order to pull each other down? Most of us have encountered a hybrid colleague known as the frenemy. Alliances with them can be awkward, forced and often rooted in some bitter rivalry, and betrayal is the first weapon women use against one another. Indulging in poisonous acts of unkindness is to speak the Devil’s language, and as a Southerner, I have a hard time with proper English as it is.
The truth is that women really need to stick together. It’s been a long hard road to finding liberation, and we cannot afford to fight our own gender on top of everything else we need to overcome to feel whole and strong. There is no greater gift than the loyalty and support of another woman, and you, my friend, should not be expected to settle for anything less. For many of us, the solution is about the choice of friendship and making careful decisions about the women we align with. The work here is to look internally for self-worth and to stay surrounded by people that support the strength and beauty inherent in all women. Every woman is uniquely herself, and we need to honor that as much as we would with our own daughters.
Just remember life is tough enough without having to put makeup on two faces every day. Loyalty is hard to find, and trust is easy to lose. Let your actions speak louder than your words. Declare your independence from toxic people. And if you can’t relate to this story, then either you have been extremely blessed or, just maybe, you are the mean girl.
