Eye-opening and at times heart-breaking, Rachel Simmons's Odd Girl Out exposes the ugly truth behind the "good girls are always nice" facade in interpersonal relationships.  Through interviews and research, the cumulative impact of relational aggression -- secret-telling, alliance-building, the silent treatment, and exclusion -- is evident in women who lose their self-esteem and ability to navigate relationships long after the initial bullying has ended. 

"Girlhood's stigma against competition and desire can never allow girls a healthy outlet for their feelings or the kind of straightforward truth telling to which every human being is entitled."

Teaching girls to suppress their anger and frustration for the sake of nurturing others, in order to "be nice," and to keep relationships conflict-free encourages relational aggression.  Rather than speaking to someone directly and risk losing her friendship, girls learn to share their feelings with others, who in turn join her in her indirect expression of anger.  The result is several girls united against one, who often has no idea why she is suddenly being ignored, whispered about, or teased.  Odd Girl Out shines light into the dark corners of relational aggression and offers suggestions -- gleaned from the girls themselves -- for dealing with this form of bullying.  A must-read for teachers, parents, and girls who want to make a difference!