Say what you will about 2017 (because in some ways and for some people it really has been a terrible year), but it's also been a year when many women started speaking out against all kinds of shaming — body-shaming, sex-shaming, mom-shaming, and the list goes on and on.
The Wall Of Shamed, an art installation started by Australian artist Suzie Blake, almost feels like a monument made specifically for these women. Blake installed the wall at the Victorian College of the Arts Masters Graduate Exhibition in Melbourne, Australia, and placed a bag full of markers so that women, and people of other genders, could write out the hateful words other people have said to them.
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So far, the messages are heartbreaking — stories of sex shaming from partners and parents, body-shaming from boyfriends and co-workers, and other terrible words said by the people who are supposed to love us most.
The wall provides an outlet for the women who write out their own stories, but also for those who read the stories of others and can recognize that they're not alone.
"Did someone say something to you that hurt you? Did you receive a 'look' that made you feel less than? Have you been degraded or shamed simply for being female? Were you teased because of what you look like, or something you said? Did someone physically or mentally abuse you," Blake wrote on her website.
"Please feel welcome to share your stories, your pain, your suffering. You may use illustrations or words to express yourself on this wall. It is yours."
For those who can't make it to Australia to see and write on the wall in person, Blake is willing to share your story for you. There's a section on her website for women to submit their stories (which can be done anonymously).
"Let’s talk about shame," Blake wrote. "And, more importantly, let’s put a stop to it."
Check out Wall Of Shamed on Instagram to see more of the stories women are sharing.
Refinery29 has reached out to Blake and will update this story when we receive a response.
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