That crown. That momma tummy. Those momma thighs! This was about more than performance.

Good god I’m pretty sure #Bey just did more for #pregnancy body acceptance in mainstream culture in one night than in all efforts over the past 50 years. #grammys #momma

A photo posted by Waylon Lewis (@waylonlewis) on Feb 12, 2017 at 7:40pm PST

Was it just me, or did she wear a crown resembling the Statue of Liberty?

When I watched Beyonce’s performance at the Grammys, these words came to mind:

Ethereal goddess. Sacred mother. Divine feminine. Statue of Liberty. 

Her performance was mesmerizing and the movement of the dancers with her was enchanting. It was pure magic.

As an ethereal goddess, she moved with such ease and beauty. The goddess of fertility, Aphrodite came to mind. There was also something ancient in her expression, like the triple goddess embracing the maiden, mother and crone. She was young and beautiful, but also primitive and venerable.

Her body was full with child, adorned as the sacred mother. Her breasts abounded with nourishment that honored the holiness of motherhood. Her artistic expression in the ripeness of her revealed, exposed pregnant body honored the goddess within her.

The gold adornments and jewelry remained solid and still juxtaposed to the whispers of clothes that cascaded around her, invoking the archetype of the divine feminine. Fully a woman, gentle and free flowing—but with a fierceness not to be challenged.

And then, last but not least was her head-dress. It was gold with gentle spikes that extended outward around her head. Pure enticement. Was it coincidental? Did her costume intend to resemble the Statue of Liberty? Were the layers of costume, poetry, chanting, song and head-dress offering a portal into deeper meaning?

The Statue of Liberty was a gift from France to the United States and dedicated on October 28, 1886. It was given as a symbol of freedom and democracy, often the first site immigrants coming to America saw as they approached Ellis Island—the symbol I imagine my Italian immigrant grandparents saw after a long journey to a land they believed held promise for a better future.

My grandparents came as adventurers looking for a new world to build a life for themselves, their children and their grandchildren. They wanted a new legacy built on their dreams.

Beyonce’s costume and symbolism were another way that her self-expression, in pure artistic form, resonated deeply within us. It is what kept us spellbound. She captivated. In her performance, she invites us to enter into a portal of her own creation with her and we do. She reminds us of who we are and who we want to continue to be.

When she finished her performance, she looked at her family and blew them kisses with love and sweetness. Her smile was genuine, her daughters full of unbridled enthusiasm jumping up and down, her mother proudly clapping, and her husband receiving her kisses with vibrating pride and affection.

A few moments later, she won a Grammy. With a veil replacing her head-dress she gave a speech that describes the world she wants for her children.

Thank you, Beyoncé. For your words, your song, your movement, your adornments and for the ways that you inspire and stir us to a deeper appreciation of what we all desire for ourselves and for our children.

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Author: Sally Bartolameolli

Image: Twitter

Editor: Molly Murphy