Rip Her to Shreds
is a Mean Girls oneshot. It explores Janis and Regina's relationship under the interpretation that the two are attracted to one another. The story is a prequel set during middle school. It's themed around the decay of Regina and Janis' friendship.
Regina and Janis have been close friends since they were little, but puberty and adolescence muddles everything up. Regina begins pushing Janis away as she starts being attracted to her best friend. Their friendship quickly breaks apart within a few months.
Rip Her to Shreds provides examples of:
- Adaptational Sexuality: Regina is a closeted lesbian. Janis is also queer. In canon, both are implied to be straight.
- Ambiguously Gay: It's left vague whether Janis is bisexual or lesbian. She isn't particularly interested in boys, but she does fawn over a few male celebrities and has had crushes on boys in the past.
- Armoured Closet Gay: Regina is gay but she is very homophobic. She gets defensive when anyone questions her heterosexuality.
- The Beard: Regina tries dating boys while she lies to herself about being straight.
- Childhood Friend Romance: Janis and Regina have been best friends since they were little. It's implied they've had crushes on each other for years, but it only became apparent during middle school.
- Downer Ending: The story ends the day that Regina spreads rumors that Janis is lesbian.
- Jewish American Princess: Both Regina and Gretchen count. Regina is Reform and Gretchen is Orthodox. Both are genuinely religious but they're also snobby, rich Alpha Bitches.
- Puppy Love: At age twelve and thirteen, Regina and her friends are already dating boys.
- Slut-Shaming: Gretchen and Regina judge Karen for having broken up with three boyfriends over winter break.
- Token Minority: Out of Regina's middle school Girl Posse, Karen is the token non-Jewish one.
- Weight Woe: There are a few references that suggest Regina might have an eating disorder.
