What are the Anima and Animus?
The anima and animus are two terms use by psychologist Carl Jung to describe the feminine and masculine halves of the personality. He thought that all people had either a feminine (anima) or masculine (animus) side. The goal of the person, in reaching individuation and having a whole personality is to integrate the side opposite to their gender. Therefore men have an anima, feminine side, and women have an animus, masculine side. Jung’s theories included the idea that the anima and animus primarily resided in the unconscious, but failure to recognize or incorporate them into the personality might mean a backlash from the unconscious. In other words, a man who refuses to recognize his anima may end up being anima-driven, and act with the worst aspects of the anima. Alternately, he may deliberately assert the negative aspects of his masculine self to attempt to control his anima from emerging. Homophobia in the male would be an example of a person desperate to control aspects of his self
