In a city often dominated by “grind culture,” sometimes we forget to take some time for ourselves and our mental needs. But is it OK to cry in public?
A lot of people in D.C. are doing just that and are finding good spots to cry, all thanks to one social media account.
Kiara McGowan started her TikTok account, @cryingindc, by reviewing and ranking the best places to cry in the city.
“It started all just from kind of having the worst summer ever,” said McGowan.
McGowan, 32, had previously worked in politics in Richmond, Virginia, and was recruited to work on Capitol Hill last year when she suddenly lost her job, became homeless for a while and, as she said, cried a lot. She said a friend suggested she could do something with that.
McGowan said while sitting in a hotel room alone, she decided to try and become an influencer.
“Let me go and like create some stuff. TikTok’s big, Instagram’s big, being an influencer is big,” she recalled thinking.
Now, she has over 6,000 followers.
“It kind of started as a joke, I didn’t take it seriously,” she said.
McGowan now hosts events where people can come and cry if they want to, and also help each other cope. At an event in November at the Southwest Library, McGowan handed out packs of tissues with packaging that read, “Crying is a vibe.”
“A lot of people were coming up to me and they were just like ‘thank you for having this,'” she said.
So, where are some of the best places to cry in public if you need to in D. C.?
McGowan recommends huddling down on some Metro trains or anywhere near a body of water.
“The Yards is always number one. I just did a post about Buzzard Point, too, that I really enjoy,” she said.
She said it feels good to know that feeling and processing your emotions was worth it to come out on the other side with a social media account that seems to help a lot of people. She added that she’s glad people are feeling their emotions too, and are building a community out of it.
“Other people think that’s cool,” McGowan said.
Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.
© 2024 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.
