Sorry this is so long...I have verbal diarreah tonight, I think!
I may be <ahem> big boned and I guess I could be considered 'old' (to some...I'm 45) ...oh, and according to my 17 year old daughter and 13 year old son, I'm cool....lol...the best compliment I ever got from my kids..hehe! I have a university education and had to pay my dues in life.
When I was 26 years old (I believe it was just yesterday), I had a staff of about 30 that I managed...many older than I (I was in the airline business)...and it was
very difficult in the beginning. And it's true, women can be more difficult to work with than men, but it sure wasn't easy being boss to a few men almost twice my age when I was 26, either. Many nights I cried but I kept on plugging along in a strange city where I knew no one, and did the best damn job that I could do.
I took some advice from my dad and made sure that I let the older staff know that I understood that it couldn't be easy having to be managed by someone my age...especially since they were in the business longer than I was on the planet. I approached these people and asked them if I could learn from them, cause they had an education that I didn't and that education was gained by working on the front lines of the business...not in school.
In the end, my staff took me under their wing...they taught me so much and I
earned their respect. I wouldn't have wanted it any other way.
******
I never liked to assume that when someone dislikes me (whether openly or quietly) that it's due to jealousy. There could be a myriad of reasons as to why an individual would feel that way toward me...rightly or wrongly.
I'm not saying that the actions by the ladies in your office should be defended...not at all...but office politics can be sticky. There are
many ways to handle the situation...90% of them would not make your working conditons any better.
I do agree with Villette...one day you may be that old (fat) gal in the office who's looked upon the same way by a young newcomer. Time flies.
Good luck to you!