Liz Fraser’s Sisterhood Myth

[Digitalisaredangerous]

Anyone else hear Fraser on Times Radio this morning? Not sure I agree women have an innate hostility to other women.

Times Radio

Hoping to start yet another Liz Fraser pile on eh? 🧐🤔

I only read one of her books when I had my first baby 18 years ago and hadnt heard about her since.

Have now searched here. Not my intention 😟

I have seen women be cruel to other women. But , in my experience, the only women I ever hear talk about the nastiness of other women are generally ones who tend to get into lots of arguments
Most of us just muddle along together

Yes. I like muddling.

My understanding - from a rudimentary skim during a psych degree - is that the theory in evolutionary psychology is that women are programmed to be competitive because they need the highest ranking male in the tribe - for status, best sperm, healthiest children who survive to adulthood etc. Although we no longer have the same social imperatives of ‘tribal man’ we still compete. Men also compete and jostle for position, but in order to hunt/gather/protect the tribal homestead men need to balance the competitive edge with the ability to set aside differences and cooperate. I am not sure I really bought it on that level - it was probably a theory postulated by a bloke - but I do think that women operate differently to men in a social context.

IRL I have actually seen a guy lunge over a boardroom table for another guy’s throat whilst screaming at him over a client issue, only to be laughing with him at the bar on a Friday after work and discussing their kids sports events the next day. But I have also experienced/witnessed the nastiness of women pulling rank and ostracising women in the workplace until they eventually leave [Dh has had many an occasion where an admin person has sat sobbing in his office because Maureen had her birthday and bought 11 doughnuts … and she was the 12th person in the team and was never offered one].

I’d like to think we, as a body of women, could be mutual allies - ie support and lift each other up - but [anecdotally] that isn’t what I’ve either witnessed or experienced at work, on the PTA, running a Guides district or amongst the school mums. Makes me a bit sad really. :(

Clearly there's a new Liz Fraser about.
The one I'd heard of was an actress who died some years back.

Not sure I agree women have an innate hostility to other women.

Have you been on MN long?

Agree OP. I don't think women have an innate hostility to other women.

On another note, I inadvertently logged out of the other place and can't get back on. Hope to sort soon.

Has there been a Liz Fraser thread since 2023?