When women express genuine anger, we risk major consequences – socially, we can be viewed as emotionally unstable or psychotic, or someone may react to this anger with violence. If what we’re hoping for is respect, we may get the response of “that’s so cute when you do that,” belittling and sexualizing the anger, rather than listening to it. When men get angry, they’re taken more seriously. Women have to tamper and modify their anger to be taken seriously – which usually means not to show it at all. 

You’re So Hot When You’re Angry is inspired by an experience I had in which I felt objectified for expressing my anger, unable to escape the experience of being watched even when I tried to be authentic. I wanted to illustrate that feeling and bring catharsis for myself and other women who might have experienced this. 

My research led me to the history of objectifying women throughout advertising, film, television, and the history of photography itself in the rise of studying hysteria. Even when expressing anger from a woman’s point of view, all of the imagery I encountered still included visuals of the women themselves, opening them up to objectification. 

In an attempt to liberate myself and other women from this performance, there are no images of women in this project. Just as all women contain multitudes and no two have the same perspective, this project reveals my individual point of view in the form of a visual diary. You’re So Hot When You’re Angry interweaves fantasy daydreams of anger with quotes from a real ex-“situationship” and one of my favorite romance books. Images of women subjects of hysteria studies are torn, recognizing past transgressions and restoring dignity where possible.

In sharing my own feelings, I hope that other women may find this work as therapeutic as I did.