Reframing The Mean Girl Trope: Why We Shouldn’t Mistake Boundaries For Bullying

For decades, the mean girl trope has dominated teen dramas and pop culture.

We’ve all been served the cliché of the blonde sometimes brunette, rich, and ruthless high school queen who’s quick to cut you down with a smile. Blair Waldorf, Alison DiLaurentis, and Regina George immediately come to mind when you hear the phrase because of the toxic power they wield in their respective on-screen worlds. 

But what if we’ve been looking at them all wrong? What if, beneath all the cruelty and manipulation...