Alanis Morissette on Embracing the Feminine

"So as it turns out, it’s the disempowerment of the masculine and the fear of the feminine in us that is patriarchy. The fear of this delicate and fierce feminine has more to do with our fear of being vulnerable again, getting hurt again, than it does by our actual distaste for the beauty of the feminine and Her qualities. But our avoidance and resistance to Her is torturing men and women alike, and tearing apart the fabric of what could be a very harmonious society.Liberation is only possible with the integration of these two aspects, equally respected for their unique and powerful contribution. Not in evidencing these qualities equally every day by homogenizing and overriding our unique essential temperaments (not possible!) and contexts, but rather simply accepting these parts, even loving them, in ourselves, and in others."

This morning between my green juice and email intake, I stumbled across this essay from Canadian/American nineties rock goddess Alanis Morissette. If you don't remember rocking your flannel search while screaming "You Outta Know" at the top of your lungs then I'm so sorry, you missed out on what was one of the best things of the decade. For young women like me, Alanis' Jagged Little Pill was a key point in the embrace of self-identity and feminist awareness in the mainstream, and most of all, it was fun. She also killed her portrayal of God in Dogma, solidifying her awesomeness.In her piece, Alanis is arguing the need for feminine balance in the fight for sexual equality, against bullying, and in the overall sphere of American life. If you can make it through the entire piece (you will have to read and re-read, it's definitely a 'stream of consciousness' composition) hopefully it will spark some internal thoughts as it did for me. Namely, in the world of feminism and equality — what is the actual role of the feminine? While this is not a new concept, it is interesting how Morissette takes it a step further.Read the entire piece over at The Daily Beast and speak your thoughts in the comments below.