Why are women sometimes so mean to each other?

Women are very competitive. They want to be the best. They want to look the best, have the most friends, receive more admiration,etc. Of course, not all women are like this, these women are usually very insecure. These women will pretend to be your friend to get more info on you and they will use it against you. My best advice is to stay away from this type of person. Do not discuss anything with them that you don't want repeated. Instead of getting angry with them, which is probably what they want, just pity them, because I am sure they are miserable!

because women are catty, insecure, judgmental, jealous, etc.
every woman wants to come out on top. they want to "one up" another woman. if that makes sense. of course not all women are like this though, but i think that's the general idea.
:P

Women like men are mean to each other for different reasons. More than likely, it's a simple matter of jealousy. If one woman thinks she might not achieve her goal because of another woman, then she's more likely to be mean to her.

Basically, it's human nature. People are mean to each other for different reasons and it's usually because they have self-esteem problems; hence, their reasons for being mean in the first place.

Although, it can be due to a variety of reasons--problems at home, being frustrated, etc.

There's not one specific answer for this type of question. Other than, people are just mean sometimes.

I hope this helps to answer your question!

Because we are threatened by one another and in order to make ourselves feel better, we have to make the other person feel bad. Sad I know. +3

Insecurity.

The people that act like that are not confident in themselves and need to get clawed and have their hair pulled;)

Practicing to make millions as RAW divas.

jealousy, for one.

Yes, these answers are true but I could care less about another beautiful woman as long as she is nice and down to earth but they never are. They always have to claw their way to the top and for what? There will always be a prettier, more successful, more this more that. Who the hell cares. Just be nice to other women and quit all the backstabbing and craziness. It's a waist of time! These women need therapy.

Competition!

every woman believes she deserves the best. (the best boyfriend/fiance/hubby, best job position, best home, best car, etc.) and we can get jealous if our friends are doing better. especially when it comes to relationships. we try to look better than other women so our man will stay with us and not cheat on us. at least some of us do. its like a big competition. so far i'm losing :(

btw men are just as competetive, if not more. i guess its just human nature to want everything we don't have and be the best.

A person is either mean or she isn't. Women aren't all on one side like a hockey team. A woman being mean to another woman is no different from her being mean to a man.
If you are referring to women who are mean to other women BECAUSE they are women, it is probably due to a perceived competition for a goal (such as the affections of a certain man, a promotion on the job or closeness to a friend). The meanness is an attempt to detract from the qualities of the competition. Men engage in this same behavior, although they may use different weapons. Most of the time the meanness backfires. Karma I guess.

I think that women are very selfish. Take for example equal rights. Women marched for voting rights right after men returned from WWI. Why didn't they couple that with equal responsibility and march in the streets for the right to go and die for the country like the men just did to protect them and their children?

The reason they are mean to each other is because they know that women deep down inside are very self-centered. How else do you explain how women can start a campaign for women's rights right after WWI, when millions of men had just given up all their own rights to make sure women and children had the right to live and not to die (like what just happened to the men pre-1920's)?

I believe women are taught at an early age to be "nice" and be a sweet girl. Nobody can be nice all of the time and it's inhuman to think so. Girls should be taught how to remain authentic to themselves and not get de-railed. Girls are also not as likely to be in sports. Sports can teach a lot about how to work together and work things out in the spirit of the team. Girls and then women don't know how to be competitive and not get ugly.
Another huge part of this is women are pursued by men. Sorry - it might sound sexist and I guess it is. That's the way the world works. When you are competing with other girls for a boy's attention - the lack of sports experience and the pressure to be "nice" come in to play and that's when things get ugly. Girls don't know how to get what they want. It's a tragedy and I want to write a book about it!! It's about time we stop the carnage and work together.

i have a ''friend'' who is absolutely hateful to me ,yet i have rescued her from debtors, and other people she has insulted over many years i can only assume that she is jealous .she doesn't have much in life and her family are rough and she is too .she recently made a statement about me which was totally untrue and i have had enough . women are competitive to the point of being insulting

From a woman who can be quite mean to other people i think its true women are generally meaner to others then men. One of the reasons for this is that men are more laid back (unless they get really upset in that case they are much more likely to turn to violence). Because men are more laid back they are more accepting of other people and that can upset certain women who don't think acceptance should be just given, as women are more careful by nature they think it should be earned. So, women tend to overcompensate acceptance that men show by focusing on bad points of a character. Its probably because on a basic level women have to be a bit distrusting and mean to show strength and protect the young as women can't rely on fisical strength like men. Its a defence mechanism.

I do not believe women are any more competitive than men so that excuse does not get it for me.
If any, I do find men to be more competitive.. it is the whole rawr rawr.. I am man kind of thing.
I believe it is insecurities and the desire to be wanted and not rejected with women.
Trying to live up to standards set by others instead of ourselves.
Letting others dictate our self worth and if you are not happy with yourself or have learned to accept yourself.. then you cannot be happy or 100% good to yourself and others.. so you develope jealousy of others.
We have to learn to accept ourselves and choose who we want in life not who wants us because if we are not true to ourselves.. we bring in things not right for us yet place the blame there instead of us not facing the problem that we have in not improving ourselves and being good to ourselves.

I think women can be very mean to each other when they feel in competition. Not necessarily over the same man, but just to be the best. Best looking, best mother, best whatever. And a woman who is so insecure as to feel she must compete with another woman to be the best, will often knock another woman down in order to build herself up.

Why are women sometimes so mean to each other? Survival of the fittest. Competition. This is part of who we are as mammals. It is engrained in our psyche. No matter what we do, how many times we pray to a higher being (or whatever) to "get rid of" this "pride", this will be to no avail. We are wired this way. However, should such a person has self-esteem issues, this will be more pronounced. Should such a person be "comfortable with themselves", it will be unlikely that their competition will severely effect them.
For example: my husband's ex-wife is very jealous of me. She left my husband thirteen years ago with their three children for another man, and soon after their divorce, she married this man. Twelve years later, she started cheating on her current husband with another man. I did not meet her until we attended the wedding of an in-law one year ago (my husband and I have been married for three and a half years). When she saw me/met me, my husband told me that she was so jealous, she did not make an attempt to meet her ex-husband's new wife and that later during the reception, she made a "semi" pass at my husband a few feet away from me. Audacious--but part of life. My reaction? I laughed inside, because I know that jealousy in women is inescapable. Update on his ex: her infidelity with her new boyfriend has since been broadcasted throughout the family and inlaws and she received a breast augmentation six months after the wedding. At any rate, this is evidence that we fall victim to the jealousy and the consequences of that jealousy of other women. It's just a fact of life. I hope this helps.

Because some women are just horrible. Period.