The Yellow Wallpaper Diaries: Women & Mental Health – By Shreya Patel

Mental health is something that affects all of us, regardless of our gender or background. However, women often face unique challenges when it comes to mental health due to various social, cultural, and biological factors. 

As a woman, I understand firsthand the pressures we face in our daily lives. From juggling work and family responsibilities to dealing with societal expectations, it can be challenging to find the time and energy to take care of ourselves. But I’ve learned that prioritizing my mental health is crucial for my overall well-being, and there are certain habits and tools that have helped me maintain good mental health. Let me share a few below: 

1. Connect with others 

One of the most effective ways to maintain good mental health is to connect with others. Social support can significantly impact our mental health and well-being. I always say sharing can be so healing. We can benefit from spending time with family and friends, joining social groups, or volunteering for a cause we believe in. Talking to a therapist or a mental health professional can also provide a safe space to discuss concerns and receive support. 

2. Practice self-care 

Self-care is crucial for mental health and well-being. We should prioritize self-care activities that make us feel good, such as taking a relaxing bath, reading a book, practicing mindfulness or meditation, or going for a walk in nature. Adequate sleep, healthy eating, and regular exercise can also boost mental health and overall well-being. 

3. Learn to manage stress 

Stress is a common cause of mental health problems, and we often face unique stressors, such as juggling work and family responsibilities or dealing with societal expectations. Learning to manage stress effectively can significantly improve mental health. We can try various stress-reduction techniques, such as deep breathing, yoga, or journaling. It is also essential to set boundaries and learn to say no to avoid overcommitting oneself. 

4. Engage in activities that bring joy 

Engaging in activities that bring joy and meaning to life can boost mental health and overall well-being. We should pursue hobbies, interests, or creative endeavors that make them happy, whether it’s painting, playing music, or learning a new language. Doing things that bring joy can reduce stress and provide a sense of fulfillment. 

5. Seek professional help 

Sometimes, despite our best efforts, mental health problems can arise. It is essential to seek professional help when needed. We should not hesitate to reach out to mental health professionals or their healthcare provider for support. Early intervention and treatment can prevent mental health problems from becoming severe and improve the chances of recovery. 

In conclusion, as women, we face unique challenges when it comes to mental health. However, by adopting habits and utilizing effective tools like connecting with others, practicing self-care, managing stress, engaging in activities that bring joy, and seeking professional help when needed, we can maintain good mental health and prioritize our overall well-being. 

By Shreya Patel, Associate Producer, The Yellow Wallpaper

BIO: Shreya Patel is a multifaceted individual, who has made a significant impact in the worlds of entertainment, activism, and mental health advocacy. Model-turned-actress, filmmaker and mental health advocate, Patel is the honoree of Top 100 Most Powerful Women of Canada, Forbes 30 Under 30, Women’s Achiever Award, Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Award and Emerging Leader Under 35. Patel has been acknowledged for her efforts in advancing equity in her community, with an honorable mention from the City of Toronto. She was also listed among DissDash’s “Top 50 Coolest South Asians of 2021” alongside notable figures such as Priyanka Chopra, Kamala Harris, and Hasan Minaj. She has also graced the pages of fashion magazines like Vogue and Grazia. As an actress, she has brought raw emotion and depth to her roles in films like Strangers In A Room, Vivid, and The Intersection, which explore themes of mental health. Patel’s debut documentary, ‘Girl Up’, is an unflinching look at the reality of domestic human trafficking and was partnered with the Toronto International Film Festival and the Civic Action Summit. Her music video directorial debut, Freedom Dance, which featured famous personalities from 7 countries, has over 1.2 million views on YouTube. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, she rallied 66 countries to come together for Unity- #LOVESPREADS Faster Than Virus, a documentary that showcases the plight of the human spirit, which was the closing film at the Munich Film Festival. As one of the faces of the Canadian Screen Award-winning national mental health awareness campaign “Bell Let’s Talk”, Patel is committed to raising visibility and breaking the silence around mental illness and support. Currently, she is working on a comedy series, Layla is Relevant and writing a film about trafficking while also producing various projects under her company, Window Dreams Productions.

The Stonewall Riots

Since the Stonewall Riots became legendary practically overnight, with the debris on Christopher Street barely swept away before accounts that played freely with fact and fiction entered history, let’s set some myths straight. 

The confrontation between the NYPD and members of the LGBTQ2S+ community that ignited in the early hours of June 28, 1969, was in no means the start of the gay rights movement. It wasn’t even the first time queer people fought back against police oppression: San Francisco’s Compton Cafeteria Riot occurred in 1966, and the riot at Cooper Do-nuts in LA, when drag queens and sex workers resisted arrest, happened way back in 1959. 

We do not know who threw the first brick, or if a thrown brick was really the first act of defiance. But we do know that Black trans women like Marsha P. Johnson courageously stood at the vanguard. And, although it pains me to say as a Judy Garland fan, there’s no evidence that grieving patrons were motivated by the singer’s funeral the day before, although who can say for certain what fed into the combustible mix of emotions that swirled in the heady summer air that night. 

What’s beyond dispute: the Stonewall Inn was a dump. Run by the mafia, as many gay bars were at the time, it had no fire exits or running water behind the bar – dirty glasses were rinsed off in buckets and immediately used again. It only stayed thanks to weekly payoffs to the cops. Police raids were frequent, with patrons deemed to be ‘cross-dressing’ receiving the brunt of harassment. 

Which is how it all started. At 1:20 am on June 28th, four plainclothes police officers entered the bar and announced a raid. But something was different this time. People refused to hand over their ID and go with police. Tensions were heightened when the officers began sexuall harassing lesbians present. Members of the community began congregating on the street and the crowd outside soon outnumbered those trapped within. After police started letting them exit the bar, patrons hung around outside, burelsguing for the growing crowd, egged on by shouts of “Gay Power!” The officers had not expected this. 

Violence broke out when the outnumbered police, trying to get control of the situation, began knocking people down. The crowd threw pennies at them, a witty reference to the pay-off tradition. Marsha P. Johnson was seen climbing up a lamppost and dropping heavy objects onto the hoods of police cars. Terrified, the police barricaded themselves in the bar as the crowd threw bottles, garbage cans and bricks, and even uprooted a parking meter to use as a battering ram on the door. 

Backup arrived and arrests continued, but a group of drag queens and trans folks formed an impromptu kick-line, a camp inversion of the phalanx of cops. They sang: “We are the Stonewall Girls/ We wear our hair in curls/ We don’t wear underwear/ We show our pubic hair!” 

The street was cleared by 4 am but witnesses said there was still electricity in the air. A lot of the protestors didn’t want the moment to end and returned the following night for a second night of riots. In contrast to earlier confrontations, Stonewall made the newspapers. The energy electrified the community, with activists founding groups with militant names like Gay Liberation Front. Queer people would now demand liberation, not request toleration. 

One year later, the Christopher Street Liberation Day assembly marked the world’s first Pride Parade, with corresponding marches in Los Angeles and Chicago. In the next few years, the number grew exponentially around the world. The Stonewall Riots proved to be the perfect unifying community moment and foundational origin story for a generation of LGBTQ2S+ folks who were ready to step out of the seedy shadows and never turn back.  

Max Mosher is a writer, communications specialist and the Old Hollywood Correspondent for The Town. 

_{Featured photo of trans woman Marsha P. Johnson.
Credit Diana Davies/New York Public Library}