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Rage Becomes Her

The Power of Women's Anger

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Rage Becomes Her

By: Soraya Chemaly
Narrated by: Soraya Chemaly
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About this listen

 ***A BEST BOOK OF 2018 SELECTION***
NPR * The Washington Post * Book Riot * Autostraddle * Psychology Today

***A BEST FEMINIST BOOK SELECTION***
Refinery 29, Book Riot, Autostraddle, BITCH

Rage Becomes Her is an “utterly eye opening” (Bustle) book that gives voice to the causes, expressions, and possibilities of female rage.

As women, we’ve been urged for so long to bottle up our anger, letting it corrode our bodies and minds in ways we don’t even realize. Yet there are so, so many legitimate reasons for us to feel angry, ranging from blatant, horrifying acts of misogyny to the subtle drip, drip drip of daily sexism that reinforces the absurdly damaging gender norms of our society.

In Rage Becomes Her, Soraya Chemaly argues that our anger is not only justified, it is also an active part of the solution. We are so often encouraged to resist our rage or punished for justifiably expressing it, yet how many remarkable achievements would never have gotten off the ground without the kernel of anger that fueled them? Approached with conscious intention, anger is a vital instrument, a radar for injustice and a catalyst for change. On the flip side, the societal and cultural belittlement of our anger is a cunning way of limiting and controlling our power—one we can no longer abide.

“A work of great spirit and verve” (Time), Rage Becomes Her is a validating, energizing read that will change the way you interact with the world around you. Gender Studies Psychology Psychology & Mental Health Social Sciences Discrimination Social justice Mental Health
All stars
Most relevant
I listen a little each day and highly recommend. If I could give Five Books to my younger self, this would be in there. i'm gonna make up for Lost Time though!

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Chemaly uses extensive research to demonstrates how anger relates to different variables (eg upbringing, social norms, workplace culture), but its predominant focus is on a gender perspective. The author argues that the expectations of women as docile, timid and obedient care-givers is still deeply engrained in the collective subconscious of how a society is envisaged to operate across various domains of social practice.

Generally, it is a remarkable read, especially for those who want to understand why women’s anger is one of the most misunderstood emotions and how it relates to both public and private spheres. However, the main thrust of the argument gets, at times, lost due to an overwhelming number of citations and case studies (especially in an audiobook) which gives the story a general feel of a well-documented feminist manifesto on abuse, domestic violence, and gender politics.

Towards the end, Chemaly outlines the potential expansion of the main argument towards practical advice on how anger can be productively transformed.

“Anger is an assertion of rights and worth. It is communication, equality, and knowledge. It is intimacy, acceptance, fearlessness, embodiment, revolt, and reconciliation. Anger is memory and rage. It is rational thought and irrational pain. […] “If it is poison, it is also the antidote.”

But I don’t think it’s the anger itself that holds transformational value. To me, it’s understanding the deeper and less apparent conceptual framework of anger - something that Adler’s ‘individual psychology’ addresses, to an extent. Anger is, in a sense, a display of the will to power or rather, an emotion chosen (on purpose, although subconsciously) to maintain/manifest one’s assertiveness when they realize (again, often subconsciously and within nano-seconds) that no better outcome can be achieved through rational negotiation.

Research-based and generally a remarkable read

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This book is incredible and I'm so grateful that it exceeded my expectations. It's refreshingly intersectional and inclusive, it's the perfect combo of factual and personalised. Honestly I have never felt so seen and understood through a book, beautifully pieced together and easy to follow when drawing conclusions. I can't wait to listen through a second time round, there's so much value in this book

I have never felt so seen

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It took courage to read this book because I knew it'd bring a mirror to the many parts of my life that made dust bunnies under my bed. I hope everyone reads this book and I'm profoundly grateful to Chemaly for writing it.

I hope everyone has the courage to read this book

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loved this review and how to of the place of anger to release and drive change.

rage the new super power

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