Ariana Grande's new music video for "Thank U, next" is going to be a HIT. Grande has been hinting at Easter Eggs that will appear in her videos, and Legally Blond is one of them. Reese Witherspoon embraced this shout-out to the role she portrayed on the silver screen.
So cool, right?
Ariana Grande replied thanking Reese Witherspoon for playing such a "brilliant" and "necessary" female role. Witherspoon even featured Grande on her story covered in hearts.
Psychology has shown females participate in "intra-sex competition" without even realizing it sometimes. For example, when a women in a conference room is dressed in a way society deems conventionally attractive, women are more likely to criticize the subject. When they had the same women dress "plainly", the other woman largely ignored her. There are biologically roots in this. Sorry for the TMI, but scientists found a spike of testosterone in women's system when they smelled a t-shirt of a younger, ovulating women. This boost in testosterone mentally preps women to compete. You can read more about these studies here.
Society doesn't help either. It constantly pits women against each other in ways we might not even realize. Young girls grow up hearing tales of older, "less attractive" women being cruel to young, pretty women. Magazines tear women down for their looks or behavior, and this translates into our personal and work lives. Young, successful women might be ostracized in the office, or we may avoid female friends who make us feel threatened. What's especially sad is the fact most of these subversively competitive behaviors are fueled by low self confidence in their own talents and worth.
Our biology and society do NOT limit us! Yes, we might have subconscious reactions, but we can overcome these by being aware of them and choosing to support women. Reese and Ari exemplify this perfectly. They aren't falling into the trap of "older-women-trashes-competition" that fairy tales push, and they aren't engaging in any pettiness in an industry that is insanely toxic towards females. It's inspiring and a wonderful example for young women.
Follow suit and go support your sisters- we all have abilities and traits that make us strong and beautiful. Help your girl friends to see their worth and grow together with them. In 2019, let's make toxic interactions a thing of the past.
