A Meditation on Anger

​My sympathies out to the women of Texas who’ve been subjected to men’s outdated views on what they should do with their bodies.  I had a conversation with a close friend who was feeling enraged about it.  Millions of people (not just women) are feeling similar anger, which is why there’s another Women’s March happening October 2.
 
After our conversation, I’ve started thinking about all of the activism I’ve been doing on singlehood, and I’ve told the story about how my interest developed so many times it’s become second nature.  I felt anger at all the times I’d been microaggressed (that verb should really not be highlighted red) about being single, and that anger developed as I read more about how laws and policies are designed to benefit the married.  I can’t even watch a film without analyzing it for a pro-romance message.
 
While anger is looked at negatively, it can actually be a good thing if used constructively.  My anger resulted in this blog, which in turn, resulted in a bunch of articles, a book, and a developing brand.  I thought of this when I suggested to my friend that she engage in some painting, a favorite pastime of hers, as an outlet for her anger.
 
I do find that through conversation and writing and allowing myself my anger over discrimination toward single people (micro- and macro-), I’m actually able to be a lot less angry.  I find myself being genuinely happy for people who get married, engaged, pregnant, etc.  Because even though it’s not my life path, I can congratulate others who are doing the things they want to do, even if I won’t be attending their weddings or getting them gifts.  After all, I didn’t get any gifts when I got my doctorate, got my promotion, published my book.   So why should I subsidize them?  But maybe that’s my anger there.
 
At any rate, I’m proposing that CoSPers and other singles activists attend their state’s marches on October 2.  The abortion ban in Texas is very much an intersectional issue that involves singlism, because banning abortions is anti-single in that it reinforces the government’s preference in marriage and children.  And to my DC tribe, hope we can meet there!