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Hello lovelies!
I am frustrated. I am angry. I am mad. It seems to have been a shitful week for everyone, resulting in a TON of online arguments and podcasts and content about women's anger. I'm not going to talk about what happened to Serena at the US Open. You've already read about it (and I link to two articles about it below) and seen international reaction to it (Australian racist cartoon, *cough cough*). I'm not going to talk about Leslie Moonves. You've read about it (and I also link to an article or two about that below). I'm not going to talk about the new wave of #MeToo backlash resulting in the publication of men's not-so-sob stories. But I do want to talk about how women's anger is now being discussed in culture at large.
This week I listened to two podcasts, read countless articles, and received two email newsletters, just from my normal content cycle, all about women's anger. There's a new book dropping by the amazing Rebecca Traister on the topic in early October. There's an entire "Gender Letter" from the New York Times about women's anger this week. Call Your Girlfriend and Bitch Media's BackTalk yelled and released some of that frustration while talking about women's anger on podcasts. Feminist voices from all angles on the internet have spoken up in support of women's anger. But my question is, when will it cease to be a topic of discussion?
Now, don't take my question out of context. I've had a hell of a shitty week myself, and I'm pissy and anxious and frustrated, but this question is about the normalization of emotions. Why are women's emotions even newsworthy? (Hint: It's because of men's reactions to women's emotions). I think, as a culture at large, the focus should be less on celebrating women's anger, as it is normalizing emotions in the first place. Yes, being angry is amazing, but so is being sad and happy.
At this moment in time, we have just as many reasons as ever to be angry. I'm angry. You're probably angry. It isn't surprising. I think what would be surprising at a time like this would be men's anger in support of women's anger. Let's talk about that.
In other news, it's FASHION MONTH! And while I was in a pissy, lack-of-estrogen mood and annoyed at the first half of NYFW, the finale by Marc Jacobs was by far my favorite show (followed up cheekily by Rihanna's Savage x Fenty show).
Also, remember last week when I told you all about my sluggish summer? Well, I read this damn good Dear Polly piece (yes, the same one all of the creatives you know have been talking about because it's just that good) that totally made me feel justified in everything that I'm currently doing in life. So there. Anger aside, I win.
xx Sarah
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