Women that are very distinguished in their fields but manage to gain the “bitch” status, and thus acquire the title of mean girl are lowered in status when the word “girl” is attached. Why is the word “girl” so often used even when the references that are made do not necessarily reflect young females?

The attitude of any “mean girl” is clearly lacking in maturity, as the “girl” is generally pompous and arrogant and apathetic towards the feelings of others. Therefore, aside from simply being seen as mean or malicious, a mean girl is also seen in a childlike light because of her behavior.

Grown women like Naomi Campbell and Janice Dickinson have certainly gained reputations for their comments and behavior that are often out of line, but by calling them mean girls, whatever they have accomplished thus far seems almost trivial as they seem less respectable. Therefore, identifying someone as a “mean girl” at all exposes them as a person of lesser character in all aspects.

Priding herself on the claim that she is “the world’s FIRST supermodel”, Janice was never one to hold her tongue or show in restraint in her opinions towards the models on ANTM. Janice was known for being harsh and unrelenting, but its easy to say that her behavior and attitude towards the aspiring models was simply degrading and far from uplifting. Tyra Banks has had just a much of a challenge being a “big girl” in the modeling world, yet on the same show (ANTM) has a completely different personality and outlook. While she may share similar views towards some of the models, the way in which these are presented is done in a much kinder manner.

In VH1′s “The Surreal Life”, Janice Dickinson became most famous for an episode in which she stood behind Omarosa (from The Apprentice) holding a knife above her head. Despite the fact that Dickinson claims the incident was obviously a “joke”, the two had never gotten along and Janice’s general bitchy attitude escalated the incident.
Regardless, Janice is another example of a woman that struggles her way to the top, though instead of providing positive encouragement and support for others in her field, constantly puts them down. Janice epitomizes a “mean girl” as she knows that she is respected for the breakthroughs that she allowed in the modeling industry and is clearly looked up to by many, many models who would love to have serious careers, yet she continually takes the idea of constrictive criticism to a new level. She’s beautiful, she’s “popular”, yet above it all, she’ s mean.

Last March Naomi Campbell threw her cell phone, her Blackberry that is, at her assistant. Why?? Over a pair of jeans that her assistant, Ana Scolavino, had supposedly stolen from her. Is it really necessary for someone as glamorous, revered, and fabulous in the world of models to carry on like this?? Naomi admitted in court that she had thrown the phone, and would accept her demeaning, tragic sentence of community service. Naomi got off incredibly easily seeing as such behavior performed by anyone else would generally be classified as a a second degree felony assault In additon to her five day community service stint, Naomi had to endure a two day anger management program and pay for Scolavino’s medical treatment. This is also Naomi’s ninth alleged assualt in eight years! It is no secret that Naomi makes well beyond a six-figure salary, yet she had the nerve to apparently claim that the relatively small bail amount bestowed upon her was an insult.
Naomi has been accused of the following:
JULY 2006: Maid Amanda Brack, 20, sues for verbal and physical abuse

MARCH 2006: Campbell is charged with hitting maid Ana Scorvino, 42, with a mobile. The model denies assault

2005: Actress Yvonne Scio, 37, says she was “covered in blood” after the supermodel attacked her

2004: Cops are called to Campbell’s flat after she allegedly slaps and punches maid Millicent Burton. The model says it was self-defence
2003: Aide sues after Campbell reportedly throws phone at her

2001: Campbell’s assistant Simone Craig says she was held hostage and beaten. Campbell’s lawyer denies the claim

2000: PA Vanessa Frisbee claims she was attacked by Campbell

1998: Aide Georgina Galanis sues the model for £4.5million, saying Campbell threatened to throw her from a car. Campbell admits it and undergoes anger management

In retaliation to her lastest incident, Naomi decided to sport a shirt reading “Naomi hit me…and I loved it”. Not only does this completely make light of the situation and diminish its significance, italso emphasizes the idea that Naomi’s simply a self-absorbed, manipulative mean girl (well, supermodel)!

Born differently than everyone else, with green hued skin, Elphaba had to endure being made fun of her entire life. Shunned by her father, left motherless at birth, and with only one sibling who, bound to her wheel chair was constantly doted on, Elphaba never had much to look forward to in life. Regardless, she was compassionate and loving towards everyone, while knowing that she was made fun of and disliked by not only her classmates, but her family as well. When Elphaba goes away to boarding school, she meets Glenda (The Good Witch) who originally is the ring-leader of the teasing aimed at Elphaba. Before Glenda and Elphaba become best friends (a bit of a long story, see the musical, it’s great!), Glenda is everything Elphaba is not, and also the perfect picture of a mean girl. She’s pretty, popular, snobbish, back stabbing, and wanted by everyone, as girls want to be her and boys want to be with her. She shows no shame in making fun of Elphaba, her roommate, and even when she tries to “help” Elphaba become “popular”, her intentions are very questionable. Glenda’s behavior towards Elphaba raises the idea that perhaps once you experience the wrath and cruelty of a mean girl personally, when given power, you may become one yourself.
Naive, and simply a kind person, Elphaba thought that the Wizard shared good intentions like her own, and actually thought he would be able to help her. Yet, after so many let downs it is understandable that one could abandon all hope and succumb to becoming someone they had never desired to be.
While Elphaba technically gained popularity, it was really notoriety, as she truly was feared by an immense group of people (basically everyone in Oz!). If Elphaba’s character is truly supposed to evolve into the same wicked witch portrayed in The Wizard of Oz and become malicious, then it is just like a “mean girl” to harass Dorothy, an innocent harmless girl who cannot defend herself. In Wicked, after the one person to ever truly love Elphaba is also taken away from her , she sings in the song “No Good Deed”, I promise no good deed Will I attempt to do again/Ever again/No good deed/Will I do again!. And thus, the Meanest Girl of the West is created.

When did this evolution begin to take place?? While it seems impossible to decide on a true definition of what it means to be “feminine”, it is evident that today’s definition is far from that of our grandparents and some of our parents definitions. I remember a few years ago my mother gave me a book she received from my grandmother on her 12th birthday. This book was old-fashion in its approach to the idea of femininity. It was made to teach pre-teens and teenage girls how to carry themselves as respectable young woman and how to behave in a manner that is socially acceptable. I had quite a laugh reading all of the ideals it listed that are found in “the perfect young woman.” The characteristics for being “perfectly feminine” were amusing seeing as though the woman being described was often passive and weak. Some of the suggestions given were:
1. To be feminine, a young lady should always laugh at a male counterparts joke, but must laugh quietly and graciously, covering her mouth with the tips of three fingers.
2. A girl should only wear slacks when participating in physically demanding activities like gardening.
Femininity was almost solely based on how you presented yourself in front of others, and, consiquently affected the way in which you were perceived. A truly feminine woman was never harsh in demeanor and carefully shared her thoughts so they did not seem overly aggressive. A woman could be smart, but could not display her intelligence so that it became intimidating, all while exhuding poise, eloquence, and grace. I wonder how this manual would have been different in describing “the perfect gentleman.”

Now, it is very apparant that femininity has drastically been redifined by women and clearly surpasses the ideals that were valued fifty years ago. We live in a society where feminism is often defined by a woman who is in control of her life and behavior, sticking up for her rights. At the same time, the value of grace has not necessarily been thrown out of the window, as she must still display “kind” characteristics and qualities. Often though, in sticking up for what she deserves, a woman becomes characterized as bitchy and mean, rather than adament about her beliefs. It’s no secret that we still live in a world of glass ceilings, and that women at the top of their fields have had no easy time getting there. So then, is a woman who has worked and struggled to earn a specific position that has a bit of a hardened edge a mean girl, or simply the product of struggle?

Now, having survived going to an all girls high school for two years where there was nothing “better” to do than talk about each other and to another high school where forgetting to smile at someone in the hallways could quickly result to being “defriended” on the latest web phenomenon, Facebook, hours later, I thought that I had seen the cattiness at its worst; this reached an all time low.
Mean girls are notorious for being “backstabbing bitches” that will smile in your face, compliment you on your outfit, and then turn around and discuss its hideousness the second you leave, but it is very rare that these actual thoughts are delivered face to face if no event provokes a fight in which “all hell lets loose” and nothing is held back. Needless to say, I was dumbfounded and could do nothing other than sit openmouthed! What are you to make of someone who says such a comment with the intention of being hurtful? Are they simply mean, or very insecure and in need of pity and prayer? This act was especially malicious because my friend and I did not know the young woman to an extent further than seeing her in the school cafeteria. As new students at the school, one would hope that a graduating student, having been through four years at a renowned institution would be supportive of their fellow students, but seeing that such ideal behavior is obviously rare, it would be nice if the commenting student had by now learned something about dignity and respect and the fact that such comments surpass the concept of common courtesy with flying colors.
A week later the same student confronted me in the cafeteria and asked my name to verify who I was, as if she hadn’t figured this out by now. The conversation resulted in her explaining to me that she “wasn’t saying what [she] said was wrong (previously she had commented “I call a spade a spade; you all simply weren’t cute”), but she just “wanted the drama to stop”. She also explained to me that I was completely out of line when I then told her that perhaps in the future she might consider not making similar comments to people because it simply isn’t normal to have the gall and nerve to walk up to someone you don’t know and comment on their appearance. Regardless, this is simply an example that despite whatever formal education or upbringing on has, some people remain utterly ignorant and heartless when it comes to such demanding, hard parts of life such as social interaction. And so, the reign of the mean, or simply malicious, girl continues. On a lighter note, since other students have heard of the matter and its audacity, the phrase “Hey, you AREN’T cute” has evolved into a widespread joke across campus.

This week’s Newsweek (April 23, 2007), titled “Race, Power, and the Media” discusses radio commentator Don Imus’ crude remarks made about the Rutgers University women’s basketball team. On his nationally broadcast radio show, Imus comments, “That’s some rough girls from Rutgers….That’s some nappy-headed hoes there, I’m going to tell you that right now.” While Imus is not exactly a girl, his behavior and personality traits summarized in the article show Imus to possess all of the personality traits typically found in a “mean girl”. And, this time, as are the comments of typical mean girls, his comments were directed towards woman. The article states, ” Like the coolest bully on the playground, the outlaw kid wanted to be seen with, Imus made his guests feel honored to be insulted by him. He tempered the abuse with just enough ego-stroking flattery to keep them coming back for more. (Those who didn’t care for his shtick either avoided him or quickly fell off the invite list)”. Imus sounds exactly like a mean girl! What had these poor girls done to evoke such unnecessary cruelty? He simply chose to lash out at a specific group because he felt that he had a certain amount of authority and power. Like many scenarios involving “mean girls”, Imus decided to comment on a women’s team that was actually succeeding at what they do, and causing no one any harm.

The ladies of the Rutgers team fought against the odds and made it to the Final Four, an absolutely terrific feat for a team that originally, though as in the world of the mean girls, whenever the “underdog” begins to succeed, someone feels as though it is their job to belittle them and remind them that they are beneath someone.
Imus’ comments were not only racist, but also completely demeaning to women. To refer to any group of women in the first place as “hoes” or anything of the like is despicable and uncouth, and simply emphasizes the sheer ignorance of the party making such derogatory accusations. While the act of women referring to each other as “whores, bitches, sluts, hoes”, etc has become prominent and “mainstreamed” in current society. Regardless, a man has absolutely no right to refer to any woman out of her name. I wonder, had a woman made such a comment would she too have lost her job like Imus did? Unfortunately, in the world of “mean girls”, typically there is no “resolve” to the problem, and no one gets fired for their harsh and hurtful comments.

“Rutgers Women: A Team Stands Tall”

When you’re new at a school, you have no label, you have no place, no stigma, not even a name (until the awkward

Mean girls tend to look for girls that would typically be competition, and when the choice is either to develop an enemy or ally, the “mean girl” chooses to make an alliance and simply build her clan of followers. And when you’re new, like Cady, why wouldn’t you want to become friends with the prettiest, popular girls in school? And if the “original” mean girls play their cards correctly, another mean girl is then and there in the making.