This article presents the formation of the Sad Girl phenomenon in Poland and its meanings acquired in the Polish context. It focuses on female activists’ attempts to enrich the visual language so that it is more attuned to everyday experience. It analyzes how subversive gestures enter pop culture, how they have become conventions and identity patterns, and how they have been appropriated and commercialized by the platforms on which they function. The article also captures cultural patterns regarding the expression of pain and the impact of gender stereotypes on the socialization of boys and girls.

Keywords: social media, sadness, crying, Instagram, communication, Sad Girl