girls, all I really want is girls...

not so much, but i couldn't figure out another title..

why are girls so mean? i've just come back from a bbq at a friend's and something happened there that...
a. made me leave early
b. made me ponder all the way home.

what is it that makes girls so catty to one another? we were all sitting around drinking and chatting, all very nice and one girl got up and left the gazebo to make a phone call. immediately another girl starts bad mouthing her. a couple of girls agreed but i was like... what the hell are you doing? one, the girl is still here and two, i just thought it was incredibly rude as she is a friend of the hostess and so obviously she likes her. i had no idea what to do as it was not my party. if i was in a public place, i would have felt better about putting her in her place but as i was at a friend's house, i had no idea what to do. so i just left.

as i was driving home, i keep thinking about it. i have seen this situation time and time again. but only with females. i can't imagine boys doing this. do they? and what is the exact point of this? to feel superior? is it jealousy? to cover up their own low self esteem?

and just what is the proper response to this?