Eddie Vedder

I like the shirt, too.

I do not know much of Eddie Vedder's music. But twice I have had the experience of his face appearing before me during breathwork, as the epitome of what I can only describe as an expressive male. I am not a strongly expressive man, and I have lacked an expressive male role model for much of my life. In fact, part of how masculinity was modeled for me was distinctly to be inexpressive.

What I see when Vedder sings is the face of a man who is feeling, and who is aware of the complete depth and breadth of what he is feeling. And then what comes out in his voice is shaped and propelled by that entire feeling.

I needed an Eddie Vedder when I was growing up, to show me what it is like for a man to feel all of the emotions I was hearing about; to demonstrate that those are part of being human, our birthright regardless of gender.