Girl code, an unspoken set of rules every girl is supposed to follow. Always stand up for your friend when she’s not around, do not date your friend’s ex, but above all, girl code is about mutual loyalty and respect for one another, rooted in friendship and tradition.
In an all-girls school, girl code can be essential for building and keeping friendships. Francesca Diaz, a senior at Xavier College Preparatory, says that the most important part of girl code to her is the comfortability that comes with it.
“Girl code to me is being able to be comfortable with one another and being able to have meaningful conversations with the other girl,” Diaz says.
The idea of sharing secrets with your closest friends and not being afraid of being judged or ridiculed mean everything to girls all over the world and Diaz added, “The most important thing for me is trust. I feel like that is a big key in any relationship because then I know that I can respect you and feel comfortable around you.
Bella Luna 26’ says that girl code is more than just guys and rules. It is about trust and loyalty.
“Girl code is about standing up for each other, no matter who’s in the room,” Luna says.
She says that she likes the idea of girlhood becoming a sisterhood by supporting one another and loving each other unconditionally.
But sometimes girl code is taken too far, turning a code of loyalty into a pick-a-side fight, ruining relationships and breaking trust.
“While girl code is meant to build trust, I feel that it can sometimes turn into something it’s not when it discourages honesty or forces people to choose sides unfairly,” Senior Kylie Barr says.
These set of rules can be twisted into something they’re not, ultimately leaving girls in what feels like a “tug of war” fight.
“Choosing sides can turn into a big problem because it forces people to pick the friend ‘they like more’ even if they know that the person is in the wrong,” Barr added.
So how do girls keep these sacred laws of girl code without it turning toxic?
It’s important to practice honesty. Even if it is about the littlest thing, honesty can open doors to trust and help build a better foundation for a friendship.
Boundaries can be an essential as well. Girls must realize when girl code is taken too far and speak up when needed.
But ultimately, the most important thing to remember is that girl code is supposed to be rooted in kindness and not punishment or jealousy.
So the next time someone brings up girl code when a girl makes a mistake, remember the original message of kindness and not revenge or exclusion.
