A couple of months ago, I wrote about birth and how woman have the untapped potential to transform our current birthing experiences into ones of profundity. In this context, I blithely stated that it was time to move beyond feminism and reconnect with our mother energy. What struck me most about the responses I received was that the beauty of birth that I had focused on and laid out before them was largely ignored due to the ire created by that comment.
So I have reflected on it, was it too flippant? Careless? Whilst mulling it over, I have also happened upon some articles asking about feminism today, demanding that it be put back into central focus especially as a force against misogyny. And then today it came to me, my statement wasn’t blithe, in fact it didn’t say enough. Feminism must die…
Newton’s Cradle is one of my favourite analogies (do you remember that classic 80’s desk toy?) – the balls hanging in a line, release one end and the outer balls ping back and forth in diminishing strength until they reach balance and peace again. To me, it symbolises the necessary polarities that we swing to before we eventually soften and rock gently back into alignment. And feminism is once such polarity. It was necessary, I do not intend to take away from what it has brought to society, to women, to life, but it is not a balanced perspective.
On a personal level, societal level or global level, I believe we are made up from a number of different elements (just like those balls representing different parts of us). In loose terminology I can see that we hold within us ‘warrior’ energy, ‘lover’ energy, ‘mother/father’ energy’, ‘king/queen’ energy, ‘elder/crone’ energy…. and there are more, but it gives an idea. On our personal life journeys we may explore how they play out in ourselves, are they in balance? Is one hiding the other? The ideal…. that they all have their time and their voice; that we are able to express each energy as it is needed with care and attention.
And Feminism brought forth our female warrior; we have stood our ground, shouted from the rooftops and battled in the boardroom, the classroom, the cafe and the football pitch. And yes, as others previously commented, all is not ‘won’ yet, but I don’t think it will be if we just offer our warrior. Again, bringing the example back to the small scale, if I meet individuals who are excessively in one of their energy centres, be it overly aggressive, saccharine, shy, even funny, I feel uncomfortable. I find it hard to connect, because I know that some part of them is hidden and that doesn’t feel safe. This is where feminism is at now, women don’t trust women, men don’t trust women, we are deeply, woundingly disconnected from each other.
So I, as a woman, asking for equality, honour, respect, integrity, would like to offer myself not as a feminist but as a human being. I would like to face my sisters without fear of judgement, without needing to compete, but for support and solidarity; I would like to face my brothers and honour their masculinity and welcome it back into the world, whilst I offer my femininity to them; to realign that beautiful balance of nature, that ying and yang, that give and take. Misogyny would not exist then, not when we face each other with open hearts and open souls.
I am hugely grateful for the warriors that have brought us here, including those inside each of us and now we can let them rest for a moment. Let the others within speak.
Feminism must die a peaceful death whilst we rejoice in all it has proffered and let there be space for a new age to be born.