Women can be incredibly supportive of each other, historically women have banded together to demand rights, nurse each other's emotional (and physical) wounds, and create a strong culture of emotional intelligence and community.

However, the inverse of this can also be true. In a world that pits women against each other and promotes reductive views of female sexuality, careerism, and morality, it's easy to fall into scarcity mentality and tear each other down.

There are endless ways to be a woman, all of which are valid, but truly the worst way to promote your personal lifestyle is by using it to tear down other women or make generalizations about their worth.

In a now viral thread, the writer Delafro broke down the passive aggressive ways women tear each other down, and positive alternatives to these behaviors.

She started the thread by clarifying that she doesn't care what other women do with their lives, they can be as free or submissive as they like, and it doesn't matter.

I want y'all to understand something: idgaf if a woman wants to dress conservatively, get married, cater to her husband and have kids.
— CANDACE SINCLAIRE (@delafro_) February 23, 2016

I do not care if a woman chooses to be submissive. I don't give not one hot damn. Not one flying fuck was given.
— CANDACE SINCLAIRE (@delafro_) February 23, 2016

Delafro's only issue with women loudly voicing their different lifestyles, is when it takes the shape of slut-shaming or virgin-whore dichotomies.

She went on to lay out the difference between when women talk positively about their preferences, and when they weaponize their lifestyle to put others down.

OK: "I just prefer to dress a little bit more conservatively."

Not ok: "Unlike hoes these days, I prefer to keep it covered."
— CANDACE SINCLAIRE (@delafro_) February 23, 2016

OK: "I really want to take care of my man. Cooking for him makes me happy."

Not OK: "As women, our job is to cook & clean for our man."
— CANDACE SINCLAIRE (@delafro_) February 23, 2016

It's not a hard concept to grasp. Live your life, just don't knock other women down for how they live.
— CANDACE SINCLAIRE (@delafro_) February 23, 2016

Delafro also said it's also not okay for liberal women to call conservative women "prudes" or use their differences as an excuse for put-downs.

Same applies to women who aren't interested in a conservative lifestyle. Calling other women "prudes" for living modest isn't cool either.
— CANDACE SINCLAIRE (@delafro_) February 23, 2016

It's no longer a "preference" when you bring down other women in the process. Now it's disrespect.
— CANDACE SINCLAIRE (@delafro_) February 23, 2016

And that is where criticism is warranted. Once you knock others down, you deserve to get read for filth.
— CANDACE SINCLAIRE (@delafro_) February 23, 2016

She closed out the thread by pointing out the toxicity of standing on the backs of other women to feel confident.

If you have to tear someone else down in order to feel good about yourself, you're insecure as hell and that's not cute.
— CANDACE SINCLAIRE (@delafro_) February 23, 2016

If you think you have to stand on the backs of other women to make yourself look better, you need to do some self-reflecting sis.
— CANDACE SINCLAIRE (@delafro_) February 23, 2016

Other women on Twitter really appreciate the way Delafro laid out and critiqued the persistent dynamics of internalized misogyny.

@delafro_ This whole damn thing was a fucking masterpiece pic.twitter.com/8Jpc0mUbRz
— Candis R. McLean (@CandisRMcLean) February 23, 2016

@delafro_ This is so real and just the best.
— Spooky Eve'nin (@EvelynClear) February 23, 2016

@delafro_ feminism is all about choice anyway.
— Charnelle (@Missveggie) February 23, 2016

@delafro_ this whole thread 👌🏼
— no justice no peace (@GlenCoco626) February 23, 2016

At the end of the day, as long as a woman's imperative isn't limiting the rights of other women or dictating their access to resources and safety, her life choices are just that: her own to make.

Woman's viral thread breaks down what is and isn't okay to say to women different from you.