06/08/2021

When the ‘Mean Girl’ is a Woman

How to deal with an adult bully

Thanks to the Queen Bee, I was pushed out of a friend group, disinvited from activities, tarnished by falsehoods and deserted by allies. No, this didn’t happen to me in the high school cafeteria. It was more recently, at a volunteer job I had held for six years. And my bully, let’s call her Carol, is a senior citizen.

While more head-scratching than gutting, the experience nonetheless worm-holed me back to high school, when I was tormented by a best friend who turned on me without warning, taking with her some of the meanest girls in our grade as her cheering section.

We never really leave the high school cafeteria. Even as an adult, I still recognize the former jocks, burnouts and prom queens — older and perhaps more mellowed but with their Breakfast Club essence intact. After experiencing my latest snub while volunteering, I had to wonder: Do mean girls just grow up to be mean old ladies?

Please select this link to read the complete article from The Washington Post.