From a young age, I’ve been silenced. Told my anger was exhausting. Well, imagine how it feels, being me.
And frankly, if you are not angry when faced with the shitshow of the world today, then I fear for you. I fear for your lack of compassion and humanity. You SHOULD be angry.
Whilst the western world has so graciously allowed women many of their rights, we are still not equal. Between child brides in Bangladesh, genocide in Palestine, FGM is Somalia and femicide, well everywhere… we have a global crisis at hand.
But no, Steve on Facebook, you’re right. Women do have the right to vote now in the UK. Suddenly my anger is gone!
I frankly don’t have the time to pander to insecure, emasculated men, anymore. It hasn’t seemed to get us very far yet. If you feel dismissed by the rise in feminism, then I can hand you a pretty pink plaster for your bruised ego.
Feminism isn’t a relic of the past—it’s a movement that needs to be invigorated, especially in the face of rising misogynistic rhetoric and policies. We can’t afford to be complacent.
Perhaps I have to continuously remind you that these are people’s mothers, daughter’s, sisters, in order for people to see them as human.
Feminism is about equity for everyone, and that includes advocating for the rights of marginalised groups. Not just the issues that affect us directly. This means tackling issues such as, maternal mortality rates, which are three to four times higher for Black women than for white women.
So, let’s look at some statistics and refresh ourselves on why we still need feminism in 2024:
Child Brides – 12 million girls are married before they turn 18, every year. That’s 23 a minute.
FGM – 200 million women alive have undergone female genital mutilation. It’s estimated 68 million more will be subject to this by 2030.
War – Women are always the most affected by war, whether it be via displacement, violence, sexual assault, period poverty or economic reasons. The UN Refugee Agency estimates that over half of the world’s 80 million displaced people are women and girls.
Poverty – 1 in every 10 women in the world is said to live in extreme poverty.
Climate Change – Climate change is estimated to make 236 million more women and girls hungry by 2030, twice as many as men.
Period Poverty – The World Bank estimates over 500 million women and girls globally lack access to the facilities they need to manage their period. 1 in 5 women in the UK are struggling to afford sanitary products.
Medical Inequality – The UK was found to have the largest female health gap out of all G20 countries and the 12th largest worldwide. 80% of women feel medical professionals haven't listened to / believed them when seeking help.
Gender Biases – A study by UNDP showed that worldwide, 91% of men hold at least one bias against women regarding politics, economics, education, violence or reproductive matters.
Violence – At least 1 in 12 women in England and Wales is a victim of violence every year. Globally, an estimated one in three, have been subjected to physical / sexual violence or will in their life.
Femicide – In the UK, it’s estimated that, 1 woman is killed by a man every 3 days. Globally, six women are killed every hour by men, most in their own family or their partners.
Police Violence – In 2023, more than 1,500 police officers were accused of violent offences against women and girls over a period of six months, and less than 1% were sacked.
Incel Culture – 1 in 6 (6–15-year-old) boys have a positive opinion of Andrew Tate, including 23% of 13–15-year-olds.
Media Representation – Only 24% of the people in newspaper, television, and radio media / news are women. This said, women reporters are only responsible for 37% of stories.
Sexist Language – In 2018, Plan International reported that 38% of girls experience verbal harassment at least once a month. This higher amongst women of colour and those in the LGBT+ community. The National Education Union says over a quarter of teachers hear sexist language daily at school.
Reproductive Rights – One study found that women with endometriosis, a condition that affects 1.5 million women in the UK, are being ‘medically gaslit’, left feeling dismissed. 40% of women worldwide live in countries where abortion laws are restrictive, this often leading to death.
Pink Tax – In the United States, a study found that, on average, personal care products targeted to women were 13% more expensive than similar men’s products. Overall, woman are estimated to be paying more than men 42% of the time.
Political Inequality – As of March 2024, in the UK, there are 226 women MPs which equates to only 35% of MPs. There are only 28 women serving as Heads of State / Government. This means gender equality in positions of power will not be reached for another 130 years.
Pay Gap – According to the ONS, the median pay for all employees was 14.3% less for women than for men in April 2023. After the age of 40, the pay gap increases significantly, full-time working women in the 40-49 age group earning 12.3% less than their male counterparts.
Workplace Harassment – A poll with more than 1,000 women found 3 in 5 women say they have experienced harassment at work. 58% of women say they have experienced sexual harassment, bullying or verbal abuse at work.
Taliban Gender Crisis – In Afghanistan, women are not allowed in public spaces unless they are in the company of a male relative. In general, they are only allowed to leave their house for urgent reasons and must wear full veils if they do or risk imprisonment. Since December 2022, women are no longer allowed to study which means they are left facing exploitation and forced marriage.
Mental Health – Women between the ages of 16 and 24 are almost three times more likely to experience a mental health issue as males of the same age. Self-harm rates among young women have tripled since 1993 and women are more than three times as likely to experience eating disorders.
Sex Work – Of the approximately 72,800 sex workers in the UK — 88% are women, most being mothers working to support families. They are also 18 times more likely to be murdered than those who don’t.
Education – Over 130 million girls are denied the right to an education, further putting them in positions where they are exploited. 99 million young people are illiterate, most being women.
Maternity Care – UK women on maternity leave are some of the worst paid among their international peers, most receiving Statutory Maternity Pay or Maternity Allowance. This is less than half of the national living wage and around a third of their median weekly earnings.
Body Image – One study reports that at 13, 53% of American girls are unhappy with their bodies. 78% by age 17. By age 60, 28.7% of women feel dissatisfied and 32.6% feel self-conscious about their bodies.
In a world that sometimes feels like it’s teetering on the brink of equality, I proudly declare myself an angry feminist. For too long, women have been told to temper their voices and emotions, to wrap their passion in a nice, pretty bow to make it more palatable for the patriarchy. But here’s the truth: anger is a powerful catalyst for change. And when it comes to feminism, we need that anger now more than ever.
Let’s get one thing straight: anger is a completely rational response to ongoing systemic oppression. Every day, women and marginalised communities navigate a world rife with sexism, racism, and inequality. From the wage gap that seems to exist in perpetuity, to the insidious ways women are gaslighted and sidelined in conversations about their own bodies and rights, it’s no wonder that anger simmers beneath the surface. To deny anger is to deny the legitimacy of these struggles.
When you’re faced with a world that murders women for simply being, anger is entirely justified. Maybe I am ‘hysterical’. Maybe I am ‘difficult’. But at least I’m not using this anger to go out and harm men. Sort of like what they’ve been doing to us since the beginning of time…
I am proud to be an angry feminist because my anger stems from a place of deep love—for myself, my community, and the future I envision for generations to come. In a world increasingly filled with injustice, my anger is not a hindrance but a strength. I fight to make this world a safer place for the women before and after me.
So, to anyone who dismisses anger as a liability, I say: embrace it. Channel that energy into something transformative. Turn your outrage into action and use your voice to create a world that recognises the rights and dignity of every individual.
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