"Women Are Catty"

[Ruby Vee]

another thread claims it's a fact: women are catty. unfair/untrue/unfortunate generalization? or is the poster correct -- women are catty?

[missjennmb]

I guess that the actual definition of "catty" to me is kind of vague.

I think that women are much more driven by emotion, generally, than men are. A woman may have been slighted and not feel comfortable confronting the offender, because they don't want to be "hurt" by the response so instead they have this passive aggressive response. They may also feel as though they were slighted because they see with their emotions, and no slight was even intended.

Men, on the other hand, (not all but many) are much more straight shooting. I had a coworker that was trying to get myself and my husband removed from our jobs at one time (he was the VP of the other section of our small business and wanted his buddy in my husband's spot but since he could not quite do that, he wanted him in mine, figuring it would push us both out... much politics) It was strained at work, and I definitely don't think he was the nicest guy BUT I had no problem walking into his office, shutting the door, and having it out with him, calmly and to the point. He didn't get "catty" or try to bring our personal lives into it, or anything. I think, in the same situation, a female coworker would have gone a total different route, and made us miserable on a personal level, instead of professionally (he was always getting hubby in trouble and spying on his computer usage to find him "slacking" etc)

I don't think that women are bad really, just that they tend to be very complicated and its oft times hard to figure out why women do what they do, because of all of the passive aggressive/lashing out/etc that many times has nothing to do with the issue at hand. I've found it usually easier to figure out the motives of men than women, and that makes it easier to function along side of them and resolve issues (although in many cases its easier with guys to just get back to work and let it go, where women I've found, sometimes have trouble moving past perceived slights).

As someone said, women feel the need to share/require personal information of eachother. Why is that? It kind of bothers me, lol. I know a little sharing is ok, but at my work, it feels like everyone wants to know all about my children, my births, my lifestyle, and all want to share the way that their grandson called them to ask about condom sizes (yes, I had that "shared" with me last week...ugh) I'd be happier with a lot less socializing and a lot more focusing on work and growing in my job/career.

[Guest343211]

Good grief Nursesrwe, you, well, IMHO, you nailed it.

Not all women are catty--but honestly there seem to be more than enough of them to make the workplace--especially in the incredibly demanding world of nursing--nightmarish. The skilled ones just know how to be covert about it--do behind the scenes--play those games--and they contract those claws so fast--just at the right moment--it can make your head spin. It's real skill. Honestly I think that some don't even know they are doing it very often. It's years of conditioning--and rationalizing, and people telling them without telling them "It's all part of playing the game." Next thing you know, it's second nature to them. It's kind of heartbreaking really.

[jackson145]

I'd rather work with a bunch of crude men any day. Women are just not nice. NS has really drove it home to me. The women are constantly taking sides & are always just 'outraged' about something or other. Someone is always running their mouth about what another person said, did, was wearing, who they were with,etc.

There are only 3 guys in our class & it's so nice when you get the chance to work with them. No drama!

[HippyGreenPeaceChick]

No I think I feel a little differently here. I truly do not see women as being "Catty". I really dont feel they are. If anyone was going to be labeled catty O would lean toward a lot of the male nurses I work with in ER and ICU. They can lash out so vindictively, it is amazing. Reminds me of my Sergeant in the Army if they heard you being catty or whiny they told you right then and there, Drop and give me twentyfive. They said it such a way that any cattiness or whining was very soon past tense.

[abbaking]

more often than not, i would say yes.

i think a lot of it is r/t our cultural conditioning, where girls weren't raised to be straightshooters, assertive.

and so, as adults, this results in a lot of passive-aggressive behaviors, including cattiness.

but that's just my opinion.

as a teen, i hung out w/mostly boys because i didn't care for the dynamics of my female peers.

i just don't have the time or tolerance for b.s.

and sadly, there seems to be too much of it from the female species.

leslie:twocents:

Leslie for president 2012! Hit the nail right on the head! The nursing profession and the world in general need more progressive female thinkers like yourself!

[gentlegiver, ASN, LPN, RN]

more often than not, i would say yes.

i think a lot of it is r/t our cultural conditioning, where girls weren't raised to be straightshooters, assertive.

and so, as adults, this results in a lot of passive-aggressive behaviors, including cattiness.

but that's just my opinion.

as a teen, i hung out w/mostly boys because i didn't care for the dynamics of my female peers.

i just don't have the time or tolerance for b.s.

and sadly, there seems to be too much of it from the female species.

leslie:twocents:

I agree! I also hung out with the boys in my neighborhood. I have found women tend to put each other down & attack each other to show how much better they are. Reality Check Due!!! We are past the stage in society where showing off is necessary. Just be yourself, don't judge others, and stop being female dogish.