Chelsea Klaiber/Staff Writer
Lately I’ve been hearing so many different versions of the same idea: women make poor friends to other women, they’re always out to steal your boyfriend and most are conniving human beings out to get you.
I admit, I used to have these same thoughts…when I was 13.
Luckily, I’ve gained some more wisdom over time, and realize that these thoughts are far from the truth, and only something we perpetuate because of internal misogyny.
The reality is that women make up more than half of the world’s population, and it’s just not fair to hold all 3.5 billion of them to this standard. And oddly enough, I only ever hear other women saying these things, not men. Do they realize that if “all women are catty/two-faced/backstabbers,” then they are also included in that stereotype?
If someone truly is having constant failed friendships with other women, they need to evaluate exactly what caused all of this. I’m willing to bet that most of the time it’s not due to someone being a “catty girl,” but a self-fulfilling prophecy of the cultural expectations that women do behave this way.
I do, however, understand the sentiment that it can seem daunting trying to find friends with whom we can relate. But it’s important to remember that there is no monolithic “woman.”
Women come in all shapes, all sizes, and all skin colors. Not all women are the stereotypical shopping-obsessed cheerleader that popular culture likes to make us out to be (though some are into those things- and hey, that’s just fine, too).
My best female friends and I share the same hobbies. We bond over our love for geeky stuff- video games, anime, and attending conventions. I am so grateful to have these amazing, smart, talented women as my friends, and I can’t imagine not having them in my life because I was too narrow-minded to even give them a chance.
As for the common “I’m just one of the guys” mindset, I find this unfair to both men and women. Why do we need to put down women who we may not have much in common with?
The truth is, a good friend will love you despite your differences.
Open-mindedness is the key to creating and maintaining friendships with all people, men and women alike. You never know what you’re missing out on if you refuse to give someone a chance.