Written by: Dr. Neta Fleiderman, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Women's anger has long been a topic shrouded in societal discomfort and scepticism. For centuries, women have been conditioned to embody gentleness, nurturing, and self-sacrifice, while their anger has been dismissed, invalidated, or labelled as "hysteria." However, the time has come to challenge these ingrained beliefs and embrace women's anger as an adaptive response and a vital force for societal change. In this article, I will explore the significance of women's anger, its historical context, and the transformative power it holds for humanity.
The suppression of women's anger
Society has conditioned women to suppress their anger (Read more in The Compression Every Woman Knows and the 4 Pillars of Mastering The New Power), implying that expressing this emotion is unfeminine or inappropriate. This suppression manifests in various ways, such as social expectations to be accommodating, smiling, and maintaining a composed demeanour, even in the face of injustice or danger. However, denying women the freedom to express anger effectively silences their voices, perpetuates inequality, and hinders growth and progress.
A piece of history
Throughout history,women's anger had played a pivotal role in igniting change. From the suffragettes fighting for voting rights to the feminists demanding reproductive freedom, women's anger has been a driving force behind social movements. Nevertheless, history has often erased or undermined the contributions of angry women, reducing their activism to mere emotional outbursts or "women's issues." It is crucial to acknowledge and reclaim these narratives, recognizing that women's anger has always been justified and vital for achieving justice.
Anger as a catalyst of change
Women's anger is not a destructive force but rather a catalyst for women taking back their power. It is a powerful tool for dismantling oppressive systems and challenging societal norms perpetuating gender inequality. When women will be able to individually and collectively express their anger, it will create collaborative sisterhood, foster resilience, and sparks meaningful conversations about roles and agreements that women never agreed to but were culturally conditioned and obligated to play and follow through. Unleashing woman’s anger energy amplifies marginalized voices, breaks the silence, and paves the way for cultural healing and lasting change.
Reclaiming anger as a form of self-care
Contrary to popular belief, women's anger can be an act of self-care. It is essential to recognize that anger can be an instinctual response to injustice and an expression of self-worth. By embracing and channelling anger, women reclaim their agency, prioritise their mental and emotional well-being, and establish boundaries. It becomes a means of asserting oneself and refusing to accept the invisible free care women are expected to provide as well as mistreatment, discrimination, or inequality.
Changing the narrative
To create a more equitable future, society must unlearn the biases that stifle women's anger and actively work towards an inclusive and intersectional story of power. It requires listening to and believing women's experiences, validating their anger, and incorporating their perspectives into medical models, policy-making and decision-making processes across sectors. By centring on women's anger, we can build a more empathetic, compassionate, and just society for all.
Women's anger is a potent force that challenges the status quo, disrupts oppressive systems, and propels humanity forward. It is high time we acknowledge the validity and transformative power of women's anger.
Dr. Neta Fleiderman, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Dr Neta Fleiderman is the CEO and Founder of The New Power Academy. Following 18 years as a Clinical Psychologist, Neta spent thousands of hours working with strong, successful women with challenges varying from the boardroom to the bedroom, noticing similar compression in every woman she has ever worked with. Dr Fleiderman feels it is time to step outside the therapy room and teach women to recognise and overcome those invisible barriers and take back their power. Given her extensive therapeutic experience, she developed unique training programs she teaches in the School of New Power. Her mission: All women identified taking back their power and impacting the world in all the magnificent ways they dream of.
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