Competition among women has become common in many areas, from the music industry to everyday school life. Public celebrity rivalries, like Taylor Swift and Charli xcx, often mirror the same kind of comparison seen among students in the classroom. Many girls feel pressure to be better than others, highlighting how comparison influences how women see themselves and each other.
As “Swifties” begin decoding Taylor Swift’s record-breaking 12th studio album, “The Life of A Showgirl,” one not-so-subtle diss track has reignited an old feud. While fans argue over who’s right and who’s in the wrong, the spotlight should instead turn to a larger issue, the persistent culture of competition among women in the music industry.
The rivalry between women has become more recurrent throughout recent years with rivalries such as Taylor Swift and Beyoncé, Olivia Rodrigo and Sabrina Carpenter, and Selena Gomez and Hailey Bieber along with many more. But what is the cause of this pattern?
“I think it’s just natural, and not every natural thing is good. So it’s something that we can be aware of and control and instead use that energy to instead build each other up,” senior Regan Devilbiss said.
Since comparison and competition between women is a natural thing, then that means comparison is also relevant on a high-school level.
“I feel like everyone feels like there’s a need for someone to be better than someone else,” senior Laila Dowdy said. “I feel like, here it’s more academics, people feel like they have to compare each other.”
In high school, academics and grades are the leading factors in stress and even comparison. Grades and test scores create competition because it causes all students to strive for a better grade, but in an unhealthy manner.
“I mean, everyone experiences some type of competition or pressure,” junior Josh Thomas said. “When you’re in a tough program, like IB, people are always competing with each other to be better than the other person, and you care.”
Another way students compare themselves is in their social life. Because of social media, students can see each other’s personal lives and this may cause jealousy or FOMO (Fear of Missing Out).
“You can more easily get a glimpse into someone’s lives, but oftentimes social media only shows the highlights,” junior Dru Donohue said.
Student competition seems to be an issue that will be here, even far in the future. Though it may be a natural thing, it’s important to ease tensions between students.
“Don’t think that everyone else is perfect and you’re just all right,” Dowdy said. “Just don’t compare yourself to what you see.”
