women who hate other women

As I get older, it's rare that I meet women who hate other women - who put off the chilly vibes that they don't like the company of other women or they don't have many female friends.

I feel like when we are younger and still figuring out who we are, what makes us confident and comfortable, we can be easily threatened by other women. (I will say here, however, that I don't think that was the case for me, because I was raised by an incredibly strong woman who taught me to love myself and be comfortable with who I am. By way of example, I once said I envied someone, and she stopped dead in her tracks and told me to never envy anyone and to be happy with who I am what I have.)

I am also a woman who has always had close girlfriends and easily connects with other women (well, usually just the ones who aren't high maintenance and have an unstoppable sense of humor). But then every once in a while, I meet a woman who will throw up a wall or turn her chin or press a pained smile in a cold reminder that she is intensely disinterested in any further interaction with you.

So why, I ask you, do some women just seem to hate other women? Is it a lack of confidence, a threat to who-knows-what, simply preferring the company of men? (Or - gasp - could it be that I am reading too much into it, that it's not all women... that it's just me they don't like?)

And why does someone like myself feel the need for said women to like me?

Editor's note: I write this vague and nebulous post because a) this was on my mind and b) unless you find reporting on decorative pillows and technology management (not in the same story) interesting, there's been little excitement in my life in the past few days.

Now I am off to join the shopping masses and try not to blow my brains out at Sears.