Why UK women are reclaiming their anger: From silence to ‘I rage and I don’t care’

A growing number of women in the UK are openly embracing their anger, rejecting years of social conditioning to suppress it. Music artist Chess Galea, 34, is among those vocalizing this shift. Once fearful of being labeled “hysterical” or “difficult,” Galea now insists on expressing her frustration publicly.

“If someone catcalls me in the street, I rage. I don’t care,” says Galea. She attributes previous silence to a cultural tendency among women to close their mouths regarding issues ranging from workplace sexism and the “mental load” to violence against women.

Data supports the perception that female anger is rising. According to the 2024 Hologic Women’s Health Index, one in five British women reported being angry for much of the previous day, a significant increase from one in ten in 2020. Globally, Gallup analytics indicate that for nearly twenty years, more women than men have reported daily anger, and the disparity continues to widen.

Psychotherapist Jennifer Cox, co-host of the Women are Mad podcast, suggests the trend is a combination of genuine increased frustration and greater willingness to discuss it. Cox began investigating anger after noticing a pattern among her female clients suffering from migraines, stomach issues, and immune disorders. “They were trying to keep their kids on track, look after their mental health and somehow do their job [too],” Cox explains.

Cox ran group sessions where women released pent-up emotions, attributing the buildup to the “good girl” indoctrination that demands women be polite, kind, and thoughtful. Despite making up nearly half the workforce, ONS data shows women still perform nearly an hour more unpaid labor daily than men, in addition to carrying the invisible burden of household management.

Cultural representations of female rage are also evolving. While earlier media portrayals, such as Glenn Close’s character in Fatal Attraction, depicted angry women as unstable, contemporary figures like Lily Allen, Charli XCX, Olivia Rodrigo, and Chappell Roan are normalizing expressions of fury. Allen’s 2025 album West End Girl explicitly detailed her divorce, while Roan’s imagery includes snarling and violent symbols. Even the 2023 film Barbie highlighted the doll’s frustration with her idealized world.

However, experts warn that real-world consequences persist. A 2020 study found that women expressing anger at work are perceived as less deserving of status, whereas men face no such penalty. Life coach Yann Dang, who specializes in mentoring senior women in male-dominated industries, argues that while people-pleasing can help women reach certain career levels, advancing to the top requires “rocking the boat.”

Dang advises women to harness anger authentically, using direct language such as “That’s a hard no for me” or “I’m frustrated too.” She encourages building the “muscle” of self-advocacy, even without a polished response ready.

Beyond professional settings, ongoing threats from stalking, harassment, and domestic abuse remain potent sources of collective anger. Violence against women and girls accounts for nearly 20% of recorded crime in England and Wales, though underreporting remains high. For Galea, sharing experiences of misogyny in the music industry and past sexual assault has helped crystallize her feelings, aided by the connectivity of social media.

Psychologist Dr. Tara Brach emphasizes that anger can be a constructive force if managed correctly. “Anger is a messenger, it brings us energy to protect, confront injustices, set boundaries, to make a change,” Brach says. She warns that anger becomes unhealthy only when it “possesses” individuals or leads to harmful actions. To channel it effectively, Brach advocates for the “RAIN” mindfulness strategy: recognize the emotion, allow yourself to feel it, investigate its cause, and nurture understanding.