From the very start, I’d like to point out that I’m not a fan of Big Brother, or Celebrity Big Brother, or any of those programmes where they put people in a stressful situation in front of a camera when, frankly, these poor souls would be better off being placed in therapy.

I do read the news though, and one of the things that often strikes me when reading the inevitable fallout from these things is the lack of, well, sisterhood demonstrated by these people. As a woman (and yes, I am one, I’ve checked) I’m perpetually astonished and appalled by how women treat each other. Whether this is solely the realm of womankind, or whether men do it too but are just better at hiding it (let’s face it, they’re sneaky gits), I have no idea. I just notice it more with women.

It always seems to start at school (how many times have you thought to yourself how awful and cruel young girls can be to each other?). The scenario is all too familiar: one is prettier/uglier/cleverer/happier/whatever (delete as applicable) than the others. The gang separates, usually leaving one person on the outside of the circle who is then the subject of that favourite of the fairer sex: the whispering campaign. Teenage girls especially are notoriously evil to one another. Once, though, a teeny tiny five year old left me speechless in the playground when she complained ‘can you ask Jennifer to leave me alone? I have enough friends already’. Oh I’m not preaching from my pulpit here. I’m sure I was as bad as the next girl (probably worse), but now I’m older (okay, ancient), it just makes me sad.

For example, and here is my pet hate, there are those that, knowing full well a man has a wife and family, embark on an affair with said man. ‘Oh, it takes two to tango’, they bleat, ‘if he was happy he wouldn’t have looked elsewhere’ and other such rubbish, as they walk off hand in hand into the sunset, while once again some poor, rejected wife faces a new life alone with devastated children and even more devastated self esteem. Nothing knocks your confidence more than the person you love choosing someone else over you. How treacherous; how unsisterly; how downright wrong is that? If he’s attached, walk away for God’s sake. You have ears and eyes - don’t you think if he’s done it to his wife, he’ll probably end up doing it to you? Husband (and Daddy) stealers should be pinned down while their cellulite is photographed at the most unflattering angle and then humiliated with big, blown-up photos of it being posted all around their home town. There you go, there’s a new career in there for paparazzis that have found a conscience, too.

Poor old Jade Whatserface is getting an absolute caning by anyone and everyone at the moment, but I don’t know about her ‘alleged’ racism (although it’s certainly ignorance), her biggest ‘crime’ is her total disregard for sisterhood, for forgetting that another woman is her biggest ally: a potential friend, a source of new and exciting gossip, a prospective cocktail-drinking partner, not a threat, or, god forbid, unwanted competition.

So girls (boys, you can look away now), if you do one thing today, tell your mates how fab they are (even if, like me, you have to now email most of them), what you love about them and the qualities that you most admire. Cherish your friendships, strive to make new ones, and never be guilty of excluding anyone from your social circle, no matter how complete you think it is. Strike up a conversation with the lady next to you in Tesco, compliment a total stranger on their gorgeous handbag and celebrate the fact that we are, obviously, in this together.

Oh, and if you ever find yourself on a reality TV programme, do yourself a favour and take some advice from my fabulous Mum: if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.

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