Suppose you’re running late and the bus you are supposed to take passes by you. Or you’re wearing white and got a little stain on your clothes that is now very noticeable. Or you got your grade back for a test you spent hours studying, and it is anything but pleasant. What do all these situations have in common? In all cases, you probably felt a cluster of emotions: frustration, disappointment, and anger. Anger, specifically, is a very interesting emotion. Anger is defined as an intense emotional reaction that involves deep annoyance, injustice, frustration and signals a “fight” mechanism in our brains. Everyone has experienced anger, but women and anger have a very convoluted history, and this has led to the creation of the phrase “female rage.”
Historically, and even now, women have been told how they should feel. Women, societally, have been told to be pleasant to be around, that they should smile,and be friendly. Women who aren’t always cheerful are labeled “too emotional.” This notion is counterintuitive and dangerous. First, if you are telling women to constantly appear happy and bar them from feeling negative emotions that are instinctively human, how is feeling your feelings too emotional? Secondly, feeling your feelings is necessary as a human — a part of emotional regulation is learning to sit and deal with your emotions, including negative ones. In fact, studies have shown that women who self-silence—meaning that they curb their difficult emotions and act as if they are fine—are more likely to deal with autoimmune disorders. This is dangerous for these women and their health.
Anger is a real emotion too, and women deserve to feel their anger. However, what differentiates just feeling angry from female rage? Female rage is the unapologetic expression of anger stemming from the institutional and systemic oppression of women. Female rage can take many forms, but instead of being a loud, sharp anger, it can be described more so as a buildup of resentment and frustration. It can be attributed to being interrupted mid-sentence, being labeled “too much,” having gender-based stereotypes applied to them, and so much more. While female rage represents anger, more deeply, it represents pain. It is a manifestation of how women, even now, face barriers or glass ceilings just for existing. While a lot of progress has been made, a lot more is still required. The good part is that many women have taken steps to rechannel their female rage, which is very productive. This can be seen in many forms, through art, personal fashion, pop culture, and even movements. All in all, women have a right to be angry and a right to feel their anger in any way that they please.
