Liptember

Chapter 11

Emma Stone. Deepika Padukone. Kristen Bell. Demi Lovato. Britney Spears. Taylor Swift. Selena Gomez.

The list of women who have struggled with mental health is long, heavy, and horrid.

And it is not talked about often enough.

Mental health, especially that of women, is generally discarded and ignored. One of the many ways that people have attempted to end this issue is through Liptember.

WHAT IS LIPTEMBER?
The Liptember Campaign is a campaign that attempts to raise awareness about women’s mental health through an unusual method—wearing bright lipstick! Whether red, orange, pink, mauve, or any other vivid colour that you please, Liptember aims to empower women through a popular symbol. Alongside this campaign, its Australian-born parent, the Liptember Foundation, hosts a fundraiser to raise money to donate to various charities dedicated to women’s mental health.

WHAT HAS IT ACHIEVED?
Since the foundation’s founding in 2010, Liptember has raised a whopping 16 million U.S. dollars! Going further than money, as the organisation grew, they now conduct research with trusted experts in women’s mental health and offer comprehensive programs to help women with anything from postpartum struggles to body confidence.

WHY IS LIPTEMBER SO IMPORTANT?
Women face many mental health issues in their lives. This is affected by a range of biological factors that women experience, from menstruation or menopause, pregnancy, cancer, PCOS, and more. All of these experiences shape a woman and can drastically affect her mindset. And yet even more than biological factors, society also greatly affects women. Stigma around mental health and female conditions can be incredibly damaging and insensitive, leading to a destructive mindset and a restriction of a woman’s potential and right to feel good.

HOW CAN YOU SUPPORT?
Even without directly donating to the cause, you can still support Liptember in a variety of ways! Wear your favourite lip colour and raise awareness on social media and in real-life conversation about women’s mental health and the Liptember campaign. The more awareness raised, the better!

I hope you enjoyed learning about Liptember! To learn even more about the campaign and how you can support, head on over to liptemberfoundation.org.au!

Written by Sara Rowan.
Edited by Autumn Edelstein.
Proofread by Lily.