Hello My Crying Angels,
As we enter international women’s month, I started reflecting on old feminist posters, and how much we still need them today.
In 1974, a small advertisement placed in a Women’s Liberation publication sparked a significant movement. Frustrated by the sexist portrayal of women in the media and advertising industry, a collective of women artists convened in London to voice their dissatisfaction, culminating in the formation of the See Red Women’s Workshop.
As I see how they approached the topic of domestic and emotional labor, I reflected on how crying was always look down on because it belonged to the ¨feminine world.¨
As a very young girl, I used to cry frequently and intensely to the point of gasping for air, sometimes even fainting. However, as I grew older, particularly during my childhood and adolescence, I felt ashamed of my tears. I felt like they were associated to the weakness of being a fragile girl.
Now I know in my heart that expressing emotion is the most healthy thing you can do.
Already in the 1960s, feminists questioned the notion that emotions belonged exclusively to women while reason was solely associated with men. Instead, they pushed for a broader perspective on human experience, one that recognized the importance of both emotion and reason.
Gloria Steinem once shared that she sheds tears when her anger intensifies. In response to the perception of her crying as a sign of weakness by men, she suggested a response: "This is my expression of anger. I cry because I'm angry. And because I cry, I will live longer than you."
CRYING IN PUBLIC IS A FEMINIST ACT!
Love and Powerful Tears,
Pepita