It is Time for Mad Girl Summer, Fall, Winter...

Composed. Calm. Accessible. Affectionate. Respected. Prudent. Innocent. Serene.

Since the beginning of time, women have felt the need to be each one of these adjectives. Always worried about keeping appearances, playing the appropriate part, or building certain reputations. Empowering movements have come and gone, building what is today a completely new open gate of opportunities for women; addressing issues such as sexual abuse, harassment, labor equity, sexism, among others. 

But, not everything has been a journalistic revolutionary social movement.

Sometimes revolutions start in the intimacy of our homes with trends that help young girls and women all throughout the world forge their confidence and character - to feel powerful and free after many months of a shut-in. 

Firstly, we’ve had Hot Girl Summer: a time for girls and women to be their most beautiful, confident, and playful selves in these warm days after COVID-19 restrictions were lifted; Megan Thee Stallion with her album Fever made sure of that.

Then, there’s been Feral Girl Summer: a time for girls and women to be their most wild, sexy, and carefree selves. Lorde’s album Solar Power was the perfect soundtrack.

But, being sexy, carefree, playful, and confidence does not come alone.

For every girl who has feared to be hysterical, who has been scared to scream when she’s mad, who has been worried about being called crazy… For every girl who has felt suffocated by her own rage and voice: 

Mad Girl Summer is here!

A time to express your frustrations as strongly and honestly as you feel them, to feel powerful, furious, and untamed. From Olivia Rodrigo’s album Sour and the incredibly badass performance of Scarlett Johanson and Florence Pugh in Black Widow, to women writing rage pages all around the world.

Photo: Clay Banks

Mad Girl Summer is here to remind you that feeling mad is healthy, normal, and a part of being human. Leave the fear and shame behind, as Halsey said in her song Nightmare, “I'm tired and angry, but somebody should be.” 

You can say ‘no.’ 

You can say ‘no more.’

You can say ‘it’s been enough.’

How many of us wish they had learned that when they were growing up?

Growing up, I never really felt like I could get angry. 

Of course, I’d be annoyed when someone changed the tv when I was watching it or my mom accidentally spilled coffee on my homework. But it never lasted more than a couple of minutes and I never felt angry when it came to more important things. 

When someone mocked my art in my first years of high school I would feel uncomfortable, not mad.

When someone told me to shut up, on the rare occasion I voiced my opinion, I would feel sad and very small, not mad. 

When someone denigrated something I liked or believed in, I would feel annoyed and out of place, not mad. 

When someone played down my feelings and told me to woman up, I would feel impotent, not mad.  

When my dad told me every single one of my defects, even though he was a very intermittent figure in my life, I would feel destroyed, not mad.

And you know what that turned into? 

Silence, insecurities, and an impossible-to-shake feeling of helplessness. 

It turned into such a hold-up tension that it couldn’t help but explode. 

The first time it occurred, I wrote my first novel at the age of thirteen. It has a very ugly and difficult story. However, in it, I let go of every single piece of frustration, rage, and helplessness. It was the first time I felt powerful.

The second time it occurred, I was so angry and so hurt that I decided to send everything to hell. I cried with rage for the first time in my life and no one saw, but everyone felt the gradual change.

Weeks later, I published my first written pieces for a zine with the Museum of Contemporary Art of Denver. 

Months later I created my own blog that I’m now turning into a literary and artistic magazine called “Not So Pink Confessions.”

A year later, I’m taking care of my health, working for the school’s newspaper, with three other pieces published in magazines, writing my second novel, self-publishing my first poetry book, and about to go to college.

Now I wonder how different it could have been if I had chosen to get angry if I had said no, or not anymore, or you are wrong, or you should shut up. 

Maybe it wouldn’t have taken me so long to publish what I wrote. Maybe it wouldn’t have taken me so long to push toxic people away. Maybe it wouldn’t have been so hard to handle my daddy issues. Maybe it wouldn’t have been so hard to decide who I was and who I wanted to be.

So, this is my not-so-pink confession: get angry.

Find out how to acknowledge and deal with anger.

Every feeling has a reason. Fear tells you when something is wrong. Joy tells you how to live. Peace tells you everything is - or will be - alright. Sadness tells you when you are hurt. Love tells you who to keep around.

But anger, tells you when something should be talked about or changed.

Let it be a mad girl summer, fall, winter. . . .