Women have to deal with a lot during this time in history. There is unquestionable inequity among the sexes, which makes life difficult as a woman. Societal standards set for women are so unattainable that almost every woman feels inadequate, and mirrors have become the enemy. With all this hate and negativity, women can only hope for solace in the company of other women, but that is incredibly unlikely.
Historically, it has been the stereotype that all women are catty toward one another, and while that is often proven wrong by strong female friendships and camaraderie, there remains the very harsh truth:
Women are catty toward one another.
Not just catty, but in certain situations we can be downright vicious. Whether it's fat-shaming, skinny-shaming, slut-shaming, hate towards public breastfeeding, shaming women for the right to choose, or anti-feminism, the list goes on and on of ways that women choose to attack one another, and it truly is an alarming trend.
Women cannot be entirely faulted for this trend. It is very often encouraged and romanticized in TV and film. Women are often made out to be bitchy, and flippant, and often cannot manage to accomplish a meaningful relationship with other women.
These snarky rivalries or "frenemies" are often brushed off as harmless and comical, but they really just fueling this ongoing idea that women cannot have strong bonds with one another. In fact, in over half of films women do not demonstrate any meaningful dialogue that does not involve speaking about, you guessed it, a man. In 1985, a film analysis tool called the Bechdel Test was popularized. The Bechdel Test consists of a very simple rule: a film cannot pass the test unless two women are casts in this movie, and these women talk to one another about something other than a man. Only about half of films meet this requirement, and that no doubt contributes to the idea that relationships between women are very shallow, and often fragile.
There is good news, and that is that all women are stronger than this trend. We all have the ability to recognize that our struggle does not have to be heightened by tearing one another down. The woman sitting in the desk or cubicle next to you is beautiful, and strong. Even if she has a different body than you, even if she has totally different ideas and opinions than you, even if she chooses to love women, and even if she is transgender. These attributes are never cause for hate and bullying.
Some more good news is that strong female relationships are present in media representations! There have been some amazing examples of popular TV shows and movies showing women in a strong, and fair light.
Epic female friendships like that of Ann Perkins and Leslie Knope are the kinds of relationships that all women should aspire to work towards with one another!
Always remember that the woman that you see in the mirror is perfect the way she is, and take that knowledge out with your into the world and pass it to other women, because we could all use the pick-me-up. Support one another, and remember:
Who runs the world? Girls!
