Exploring feminine rage with Angry Girl Poetry

Izzy Canadine, ‘27, was sitting on a bench after the bus broke down during her PreLUsion trip in New York, when a random man asked, “Why don’t you give me a smile?”

This question inspired her to think about the culture of catcalling and write her poem “Smile,” which she read aloud to her peers on Oct. 30 at the Angry Girl Poetry meeting.

This semester, Kendalin Flores, ‘26, started Angry Girl Poetry with the Center for Gender Equity. Participating students can go to the center and write poems surrounding this year’s theme: rage, specifically against the patriarchy.

Canadine said she believes women naturally have rage inside of them because of the sexist experiences they encounter in society.

“There’s all this rage that comes when that kind of thing happens to you,” Canadine said. “But sometimes it’s just the safer option to just smile because the fear of what could happen outweighs what you should do.”

When Flores began her position as a program assistant at the Center for Gender Equity, she facilitated a poetry night event and realized the importance of spaces that give students a creative outlet.

Clara McAuley, ‘27, shared her poem called “1 o’clock a.m.” at the event, which spoke about what it means for a woman to walk alone at night and how risky it can be to their safety.

“There’s something very powerful and empowering about feminine rage, and about expressing that through writing specifically,” McAuley said.

This space is available not just for students who identify as women, Flores said, but for anyone who wants to embrace the meaning of being angry due to the maltreatment and inequality of women in society.

“(This is not) just a place where we gather and we write silly rhymes,” Flores said, “We really want you to think about the current state of the world — and the current state of the world is the oppression of women.”

Canadine said it’s important to discuss feminism because men tend to think women become feminists because they hate men. She said it’s actually about equity and wanting good outcomes for women.

While the meetings are not formal events that emphasize performance skills, students who are interested can learn what it means to perform a poem.

Flores said it can be easy to write stanzas on paper, but performing takes emotion and cadence to properly deliver the lines.

She hopes, through a collaboration with Lehigh After Dark, students will be able to perform their written pieces at a larger open mic night by the end of the semester.

Whether they perform or not, Canadine said having a space where students can express themselves is crucial and helps students with their well-being on campus.

McAuley and Canadine both acknowledged how Angry Girl Poetry allows them to work on bettering their mental health.

“(With) whatever is going on in your head, it’s amazing to express that through poetry,” McAuley said. “I find it to be a great relief. I think it’s a great place to find community and to work on your own vulnerability and confidence.”

Flores said anyone interested in spoken word or slam poetry is welcome to the meetings held every other Monday in the Office of Multicultural Affairs located in Christmas Saucon Hall. Students can recite their pieces, work on prompts, get feedback and perfect their poetry skills.

Although the latest meeting had a small turnout, Canadine hopes more outreach can raise student awareness of this resource.

“I think that this event is a great opportunity for college students because I think we go through so much in college,” Canadine said. “We’re experiencing new things, we’re experiencing life without our parents, without a lot of limits, and so having a way to express yourself through poetry is a great way to have (students) be emotionally supported.”