Does anyone feel that women could possibly be kinder to other women?

Relational aggression. There's a term for it?
It was actually something my mom and I would discuss through much of my life. It was along the lines of getting along better with men than women because there was such history of being turned on, scorned, ostracized, back stabbed. Back then it was questioning was it because for both of us growing up being involved athletically in the games and sports talk that the men or boys then would play or have interest in. Out there in the world keeping up with the guys as opposed to tea parties and makeup etc? But seen more sisterly than anything, really. Relational aggression makes sense.

Personally, I've always found it easier to talk to men and socialize with men. I do value having female friendships but I've found it hard to find secure, confident women who aren't constantly comparing themselves to me. You can't have a friendship that way. You're either okay with yourself and with me or you're not.

Yes relational aggression refers to when females engage in trying to ruin another's reputation, trying to turn other women against one, back-stabbing etc. I was surrounded by it in single-sex schools growing up. It has actually been suggested by > 1 psychologist that women are just as aggressive as men; they just employ a different form of aggression.

I'll never forget my first male friends. It was so fantastic. We could talk and be real. There was no game-playing or frequent comments comparing their body to mine etc etc. I naively used to think that girls grew out of relational aggression. They don't. The girls who did that in high school are the women doing it in their 40s.

At one point, I worked on a team which included two middle-aged women who acted like 7 year olds. No exaggeration. It was like watching two little girls gossiping, whispering, a little hive of negativity. They would even talk behind a hand over their mouth in the middle of a room about our other female colleague. She was much younger than them and became their target. Then I wound up in role of mediator with both sides coming to me. I managed to keep the peace but there were some days when it made me very angry because - why can't we just do our jobs respectfully?? Talk to a therapist if you're insecure. Stop playing games at work. Sigh.

I asked my significant other if he ever experienced male colleagues behaving like that either toward him or other males. He just laughed. That's a no

The women that I have remained close to and continue to maintain close bonds fit what you say about secure and confident-at least within the friendships(we all struggle with things in one way or another afterall) is true. We all have commonalities in our own life's experiences with the harshness of not only growing up but also in sharing the experiences in our own adult lives.
I never thought much to bring such a point into therapy itself, except perhaps some recent work events would qualify, as such, since I work in a women predominant field. And for whatever reason, I became a target as of late. Despite how terrible the aggression can be, I've at least had the life skills and job experience to reach a level of overcoming it.
I never thought to analyze it from a psychology standpoint, as to me, it's a Fact of Life.
I've known a couple of women who had also gone to all girls schools and described their own experiences. Had a mentor in college that had gone to an all women's college, we hit it off quite lovely. She was so real and in tune with things. Looking back, I value that experience fondly.