Spreading the Word: Anger and Female Rage

Assertive self-expression, anger, rage, and various forms of roughness are traditionally associated with maleness. Even if they scare us or make us uncomfortable, they are perceived and experienced as masculine qualities. It is so deeply rooted in so many cultures that we do not notice its presence. To test it, see what comes to your mind if you try to imagine ‘masculine’ sports or ‘masculine’ musical genres. A whole set of traits, features, behaviour patterns and expectations are woven into that one concept, ‘masculine’.

What about female expressions of anger, rage, frustration, and roughness? Given the cultural context, such behaviour feels ‘unwomanly’ and somehow less acceptable. In culture, it can be depicted as much more destructive. The featured image in this post is a 19th-century painting of Medea – a sorceress and wife of ancient Greek mythological hero Jason who, when he left her for another woman, poisoned her rival and her own two children.

Recently I was watching an interview where a psychologist was talking about physical manifestations of our mental and emotional states. The host (a woman) said something I am sure many can relate to: sometimes I feel like screaming, but my upbringing doesn’t let me. Isn’t that a wonderful, precise, and concise expression of the underlying problem?

Today I share with you two videos on this topic – anger and, specifically, female rage.

Links to the videos: Why female rage is here to stay and Why do we need to embrace our anger

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_{Featured image credit: Photo by Birmingham Museums Trust on Unsplash}