For those of you not logged in or not friends of mine:
On "mean girl"ism
I hate the term "mean girl," as though straight dudez aren't catty, manipulative and vicious to each other. However, it is late, you are my friends and this term connotes an understood set of overall behaviors and attitudes that I want to work with sans explanation. (Are we all satisfied with my total excuse for not doing the mental work to find a set of adjectives that means the same thing and isn't colored with sexism? No. Yeah, well...)
For all of my confidence in my ability to read people, read into people's words and actions, and size people up remarkably accurately, I am totally awkward and confused at times. I will admit to occasionally being completely at a loss to explain why certain stereotypical behaviors are chosen and how to respond to them. Case in point: "mean girl"ism.
I'm just sort of confused as to how to respond to "mean girl"ism. My parents were of the "possum" school: ignore them and they'll go away. Honestly, stupid as that seems, I've taken to employing it for workplace assholes (to a point). As a friend said in response to my query "When did I become such a wimp?": when you have to eat and can be fired for standing up for yourself. But what do you do when the hide-and-wait-it-out method is not working?
Thoughts?
I hate the term "mean girl," as though straight dudez aren't catty, manipulative and vicious to each other. However, it is late, you are my friends and this term connotes an understood set of overall behaviors and attitudes that I want to work with sans explanation. (Are we all satisfied with my total excuse for not doing the mental work to find a set of adjectives that means the same thing and isn't colored with sexism? No. Yeah, well...)
For all of my confidence in my ability to read people, read into people's words and actions, and size people up remarkably accurately, I am totally awkward and confused at times. I will admit to occasionally being completely at a loss to explain why certain stereotypical behaviors are chosen and how to respond to them. Case in point: "mean girl"ism.
I'm just sort of confused as to how to respond to "mean girl"ism. My parents were of the "possum" school: ignore them and they'll go away. Honestly, stupid as that seems, I've taken to employing it for workplace assholes (to a point). As a friend said in response to my query "When did I become such a wimp?": when you have to eat and can be fired for standing up for yourself. But what do you do when the hide-and-wait-it-out method is not working?
Thoughts?