somechick: Yup,I've witnessed the very same thing you descirbe here going on in shopping center isles etc where women are talking behind another womans back and then when they happen to run/see that very same person they're gossiping about all of a sudden they become all nicey nicey and chummy chummy.
i dont think thats gender specific
thats an honesty/character issue
its a not willing to have a conversation issue