In 1977, Dolly Parton sat down for an interview with Barbara Walters. What should have been a conversation between two successful women turned into an unsettling display of condescension and veiled insults. Yet, in the face of passive-aggressive comments and attempts to diminish her, Dolly remained calm, confident, and unshaken. Her response serves as a masterclass in handling female aggression—something many girls and women struggle with throughout their lives.

In this episode of The Heart of Parenting, I dive into the nuances of female bullying, relational aggression, and social exclusion—how they differ from the more physical, direct bullying seen among boys and why they leave such lasting scars. I share my own personal experiences, including an unsettling Starbucks encounter and a workplace betrayal, to  ...