Queen bee (subculture)
Encyclopedia
A queen bee is the leader
of a female
group, a clique
's leader, usually a popular young lady. Characteristics often associated to her are a pleasant appearance
, charisma
, skill in manipulation
, and monetary
power. She is sometimes portrayed as the Head Cheerleader, Prom
Queen, Homecoming
Queen, Principal's Daughter, etc. The queen bee has substantial influence and power over the clique, and is usually envied and/or looked upon as a role model
by clique members and at times by outsiders to the clique. Her actions are closely followed and imitated, even though they may not be of a positive nature. They may appear to also be sex symbol
s to males.
The social role of the outcast is defined as anyone that the queen bee usually dislikes. Clique members may victimize the outcast in order to continue their membership in the clique, or to receive praise from the queen bee.
In most cliques there is, at least to some degree, a power struggle for the position of the queen bee. Hence, the clique's leader might change from time to time, for example due to a member (or non-member) exceeding the queen bee's abilities, or members getting fed up with the queen bee's antics and thus attracting followers of the old clique leader. Outside influences may also act upon the social structure of the clique, such as changing interests or increasing maturity among clique members.
In a business environment, a "queen bee" may also refer to a woman in upper management who advanced in the ranks without the help of any type of affirmative action
programs. Many of those executive women tend to be politically conservative and they choose not to publicly identify with feminism
. They often see other, usually younger, women as competitors and will refuse to help them advance within a company, preferring to mentor a male over a female employee. Some "queen bees" may actively take steps to hinder another woman's advancement as they are seen as direct competitors. Such tactics are sometimes referred to as homophily
or the queen bee syndrome
.
Leader
A leader is one who influences or leads others.Leader may also refer to:- Newspapers :* Leading article, a piece of writing intended to promote an opinion, also called an editorial* The Leader , published 1909–1967...
of a female
Female
Female is the sex of an organism, or a part of an organism, which produces non-mobile ova .- Defining characteristics :The ova are defined as the larger gametes in a heterogamous reproduction system, while the smaller, usually motile gamete, the spermatozoon, is produced by the male...
group, a clique
Clique
A clique is an exclusive group of people who share common interests, views, purposes, patterns of behavior, or ethnicity. A clique as a reference group can be either normative or comparative. Membership in a clique is typically exclusive, and qualifications for membership may be social or...
's leader, usually a popular young lady. Characteristics often associated to her are a pleasant appearance
Beauty
Beauty is a characteristic of a person, animal, place, object, or idea that provides a perceptual experience of pleasure, meaning, or satisfaction. Beauty is studied as part of aesthetics, sociology, social psychology, and culture...
, charisma
Charisma
The term charisma has two senses: 1) compelling attractiveness or charm that can inspire devotion in others, 2) a divinely conferred power or talent. For some theological usages the term is rendered charism, with a meaning the same as sense 2...
, skill in manipulation
Psychological manipulation
Psychological manipulation is a type of social influence that aims to change the perception or behavior of others through underhanded, deceptive, or even abusive tactics. By advancing the interests of the manipulator, often at the other's expense, such methods could be considered exploitative,...
, and monetary
Money
Money is any object or record that is generally accepted as payment for goods and services and repayment of debts in a given country or socio-economic context. The main functions of money are distinguished as: a medium of exchange; a unit of account; a store of value; and, occasionally in the past,...
power. She is sometimes portrayed as the Head Cheerleader, Prom
Prom
In the United States and Canada, a prom, short for promenade, is a formal dance, or gathering of high school students. It is typically held near the end of the senior year. It figures greatly in popular culture and is a major event among high school students...
Queen, Homecoming
Homecoming
Homecoming is the tradition of welcoming back alumni of a school. It most commonly refers to a tradition in many universities, colleges and high schools in North America...
Queen, Principal's Daughter, etc. The queen bee has substantial influence and power over the clique, and is usually envied and/or looked upon as a role model
Role model
The term role model generally means any "person who serves as an example, whose behaviour is emulated by others".The term first appeared in Robert K. Merton's socialization research of medical students...
by clique members and at times by outsiders to the clique. Her actions are closely followed and imitated, even though they may not be of a positive nature. They may appear to also be sex symbol
Sex symbol
A sex symbol is a celebrity of either gender, typically an actor, musician, supermodel, teen idol, or sports star, noted for their sex appeal. The term was first used in the mid 1950s in relation to the popularity of certain Hollywood stars, especially Marilyn Monroe and Brigitte...
s to males.
The social role of the outcast is defined as anyone that the queen bee usually dislikes. Clique members may victimize the outcast in order to continue their membership in the clique, or to receive praise from the queen bee.
In most cliques there is, at least to some degree, a power struggle for the position of the queen bee. Hence, the clique's leader might change from time to time, for example due to a member (or non-member) exceeding the queen bee's abilities, or members getting fed up with the queen bee's antics and thus attracting followers of the old clique leader. Outside influences may also act upon the social structure of the clique, such as changing interests or increasing maturity among clique members.
In a business environment, a "queen bee" may also refer to a woman in upper management who advanced in the ranks without the help of any type of affirmative action
Affirmative action
Affirmative action refers to policies that take factors including "race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation or national origin" into consideration in order to benefit an underrepresented group, usually as a means to counter the effects of a history of discrimination.-Origins:The term...
programs. Many of those executive women tend to be politically conservative and they choose not to publicly identify with feminism
Feminism
Feminism is a collection of movements aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economic, and social rights and equal opportunities for women. Its concepts overlap with those of women's rights...
. They often see other, usually younger, women as competitors and will refuse to help them advance within a company, preferring to mentor a male over a female employee. Some "queen bees" may actively take steps to hinder another woman's advancement as they are seen as direct competitors. Such tactics are sometimes referred to as homophily
Homophily
Homophily is the tendency of individuals to associate and bond with similar others. The presence of homophily has been discovered in a vast array of network studies. Within their extensive review paper, sociologists McPherson, Smith-Lovin and Cook cite over one hundred studies that have observed...
or the queen bee syndrome
Queen bee syndrome
Queen bee syndrome was first defined by G.L. Staines, T.E. Jayaratne, and C. Tavris in 1973. It describes a woman in a position of authority who views or treats subordinates more critically if they are female. This phenomenon has been documented by several studies...
.
Further reading
- Queen Bees and WannabesQueen Bees and WannabesQueen Bees and Wannabes: Helping Your Daughter Survive Cliques, Gossip, Boyfriends, and Other Realities of Adolescence is a 2002 self-help book by Rosalind Wiseman. It focuses on the ways in which girls in high schools form cliques, and on patterns of aggressive teen girl behavior and how to deal...
: Helping Your Daughter Survive Cliques, Gossip, Boyfriends, and Other Realities of Adolescence by Rosalind Wiseman - Mean Chicks, Cliques, And Dirty Tricks: A Real Girl's Guide to Getting Through the Day with Smarts and Style by Erika V. Shearin Karres
- Odd Girl Out: The Hidden Culture of Aggression in Girls by Rachel Simmons