This world is built on competition. Competing for jobs, housing, body image and even love. We were taught to do so. That includes the battles between women. We give snarky looks at each other, shun or talk behind each other’s backs. ‘Come on, women! We deserve better than this. We “are” better than this.

Susan Skog, a writer for the HuffPost, is right. We are better than that. There are so many things we could be doing instead of talking smack about Jessica’s outfit. And there are plenty of challenges that we must go through, so why make it even more difficult for each other?

The judgment amongst women needs to end. The jealousy and the sassiness have got to go. Instead of making enemies from just a glare, let’s empower each other more.

Let’s be the girl that’s always there for her friends by spamming hearts and commenting phrases like “slay” or “queen” when a girl posts her lifting journey. Now more than ever, women should come together and set an example for future doctors, lawyers and athletes.

If we don’t show the world how we want to be treated, the world is just going to do what they always do: make excuses, do something so little but make a big deal about it and proceed to blame us for not doing it right.

You have seen “Mean Girls,” right? It’s all about destroying one girl in an effort to become the queen bee. Cady Heron, the main character, and Janis, one of her best friends, devise a plan to damage Regina’s, the queen bee, reputation.

This movie is all about the socialization experience of girls. Lies, betrayal, blame, shunning, just to be at the top of the ladder. And this movie is set in high school. What about now? We are adults, aren’t we?

There’s no real benefit to judging other women. Cady ends up being shunned by other students and even is distrusted by her parents because of Regina’s retaliation.

In elementary school, I had two other friends, a girl and a boy, we’ll call them Jessica and Leo. I would hang out with all the time during school. We were a trio through most of elementary school until she started liking them and eventually started “dating.”

We were kids but she was so serious about it that every time I would laugh with Leo or even sit next to him she would glare at me. She never said it, but I could tell she thought I liked him. I didn’t. Even after they broke up, anything I did she would glare at me. Even if it had nothing to do with her.

Then she stopped talking to me. I did nothing to her and it was all because of a boy.

Come on ladies. It’s time to do better. It’s time to empower each other, not judge or fight. But not for them, for us.

This story was written by Trinity Burgess. She can be reached at [email protected].