Every woman has been there: You feel totally overwhelmed, but you don't want to break down in front of other people. For the sake of someone else — your children, your partner, your family, your friends, your coworkers — you need to remain visibly strong. So you resort to crying in the shower, where no one else can see or hear you.
If that sounds familiar to you, a photographer in Mobile, Alabama, wants you to know one thing: "I am you. I see you. I am with you, I cry with you."
Brittany Latham, 30, took to Facebook in late April to share a photo of a woman crying in the shower, captioning the emotional image with a 335-word note that addressed some of the secret battles she and other women face every day. In doing so, she not only acknowledged these common struggles but validated them.
"For the woman whose husband makes an 'extra stop' after work every evening," Brittany began.
"For the woman who is mourning the loss of a pregnancy that nobody else knew about.
"For the woman who was fired for her fourth tardy because she has been awake for a straight week with a sick child.
"For the single mom who doesn't know how the utilities are going to stay on this month.
"For the woman who has gone through 2 IVF's and has tried for five years without success but still shows up to every baby shower for her friends."
Brittany went on to highlight the oft-invisible struggles faced by women who have had abortions, moms on food stamps, and military wives.
Brittany's post has since gone viral; it's been liked more than 400,000 times, shared by almost 410,000 people (and counting), and received nearly 70,000 comments.
People from all walks of life have found her message relatable:
Most women were able to see themselves somewhere in Brittany's post.
Some admitted they were brought to tears by the post.
Others were reminded of women in their own lives after reading the post through.
One woman saw Brittany's post as an opportunity to urge others to show more compassion for the ladies in their lives.
People eventually began suggesting more scenarios to add to Brittany's list, such as women who are in relationships with addicts:
And women with invisible chronic illnesses:
And women who have scars and stretch marks, as well as women who have been assaulted:
Moms who are raising special needs or chronically ill children should also be on the list.
As should moms who have lost a child of any age.
Brittany told Health that the post was inspired by things she's endured herself.
"The inspiration behind [this] was a collection of various things that I have experienced as a single mom, married mom, and mom of two babies lost to miscarriage," Brittany explained. "I spend a lot of time with my friends and hear their struggles and I thought how resilient women must be sometimes. A lot of times we are the only backbone."
What a powerful message. Thanks for sharing, Brittany!
