Sexy Witch

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Sexy Witch Page 29

by LaSara FireFox


  The internet is an amazing resource on this front. Many of these amazing women and archetypes have fan sites, bios, and even shrines to them built on the fertile frontier of cyberspace. Many also have biographies or autobiographies that are easy to find in your local bookstore, or even at your library.

  One caveat: this is a very partial listing of the female heroes out there. I have left many out, and this list is weighted toward the women I have learned something from in my research and in my life. If I left your favorite out, don’t get mad, get even! Send me a note, and perhaps I will be able to add her to my list for future projects. You could even use the opportunity to create your own tribute website in honor of the women who have influenced your life.

  Above all, enjoy this compendium (as limited as it is), and search out more info about the rich and fascinating history of women who changed, and are still changing, the rules.

  Virgins and Maidens

  While the terms maiden and virgin imply chastity, to me that element is not the defining aspect of maidenhood. In the way I am using these terms, it’s more about a subset of that concept: a girl or women belonging to herself.

  Throughout the ages there have been women who chose not to marry, and made this choice for many reasons. Unfortunately, many of their stories are lost to the sands of time. We do know, though, that often a woman who loved women would be considered a virgin. She couldn’t very well correct those who assumed, could she?

  Artemis and Diana are “virgin” archetypes who consorted only with their equally “virginal” nymphs in the wild hills of Greece and Rome. The Virgin Queen may or may not have ever bedded any of her suitors. Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell never married, and was arrested repeatedly for dressing in men’s attire.

  Archetypes

  Artemis

  This Greek Goddess is a virgin, Goddess of the hunt, a midwife, and a protector of women and children. She is armed with a bow and a quiver of arrows. Artemis lives free of the bonds of cultural convention, running free in the hills with her hounds, the animals of the forest, and her virginal Nymphs.

  —http://messagenet.com/myths/bios/artemis.html.

  Diana

  Diana is the Roman name for the Goddess Artemis. Later she also became Queen of the Witches, with a whole subset of Goddess worship bearing her name. Dianic Witchcraft is woman-oriented Goddess worship. Dianic covens are often for women only.

  —http://www.thewhitegoddess.co.uk/goddess/diana.html.

  Kore

  In the Ancient Greek, Kore means “young girl,” or “daughter.” Kore is one of the deities honored in the great Eleusinian Mysteries. Kore is the innocent, young daughter of Demeter, the Grain Mother, and Zeus, the patriarch of the Olympian Gods. Kore represents eternal springtime, and the hope that is born again with each sprouting shoot.

  —http://www.spiralgoddess.com/Demeter.html.

  Hestia/Vesta

  Hestia is the Greek Goddess of the hearth. She is sister to Zeus, and the daughter of Rhea and Cronos. She was known as Vesta to the Romans, and her Priestesses were known as Vestal Virgins.

  —http://www.paralumun.com/romevesta.htm.

  The Valkyrie

  Odin’s shield-maidens were fierce warriors and protectors.

  —http://www.dolls-n-daggers.com/Valkyrie.html.

  Historical Figures

  Joan of Arc, 1412–1431

  http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08409c.htm.

  Queen Elizabeth I

  “You may have many a wiser prince sitting in this seat, but you never have had, or shall have, any who loves you better.”

  —From Elizabeth’s “Golden Speech of 1601,” http://www3.newberry.org/elizabeth/forthemedia/elizhistory.html.

  The Virgin Queen remained unmarried through her life, though she had many suitors. She was responsible for England’s final conversion to the Protestant faith, and single-handedly ruled England for over forty-four years.

  —http://englishhistory.net/tudor/monarchs/eliz1.html.

  Elizabeth Blackwell, M.D., 1821–1910

  http://campus.hws.edu/his/blackwell/biography.html.

  Susan B. Anthony

  http://www.susanbanthonyhouse.org/biography.htm.

  Emily Dickinson

  http://www.online-literature.com/dickinson.

  Mary Cassatt

  http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/cassatt.

  Current Pop-Culture Icons

  Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen

  The last virgins in America. In using the term virgin here, I am not speaking to whether these young women have taken lovers or not. I am pointing rather to the fact that their mutual image is based in the identity of innocence and self-containment.

  —http://www.marykateandashley.com.

  Mothers, Healers, and Wives

  When I first started this section, it was Mothers only. I added Healers and Wives with the dawning realization that there are other aspects to this stage of life (duh!). Also, I found that there were few mothers in the historical category. By broadening this category to include women who may not be mothers but are known to have contributed in some traditionally “motherly” way to culture, I found that I could honor their stories as well.

  Archetypes

  Gaia

  The primary mother in the Greek Pantheon, Gaia is one of the elder Greek Goddesses. From her, many of the other Gods and Goddesses were born. Gaia is the earth herself, and all the creatures who live on her are born of her womb.

  —http://www.kheper.net/topics/Gaia/goddess.htm.

  Demeter

  Another of the deities given homage and memory in the Eleusinian Rites, Demeter is the Grain Mother, mother of growing things. Her daughter is Kore, the eternal springtime. In the Homeric Hymns, Demeter is credited with gifting humankind with agriculture.

  —http://www.pantheon.org/articles/d/demeter.html.

  Ceres

  While having her own origins, Ceres came to possess many of the attributes of Demeter as the Hellenic culture was assimilated by the Romans. Ceres also became the Goddess of the Plebeians in Roman culture, with the office of protecting the plebes from the patricians. She governed the fair distribution of grain, and marriage and divorce law.

  —http://www.astrostar.com/articles/Ceres.htm.

  Isis

  The principal Goddess of Ancient Egypt, Isis is the daughter of Geb and Nut, the earth her father and the heavens her mother. Isis was many things: Goddess of Love, Magick Maker, Goddess of Fertility and Healing, and Queen of the Underworld. She is wife to Osiris, and mother to Horus. Isis is often represented as a winged Goddess, and she always carries an ankh, the Egyptian symbol of life, death, and rebirth. She is the mother of the God Who Dies and Is Reborn, a cycle that has many manifestations in religions the globe over.

  —http://www.touregypt.net/isis.htm.

  Mary, Mother of God

  A younger Goddess but one of the most widely worshipped today, by far, Mary is a wonderful and compassionate Mother Goddess.

  —http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15464b.htm.

  Brighid, Bride, Breed

  Healer, Goddess, and Catholic saint, Bride has stood the test of time. There are shrines dedicated to her in Ireland to this day.

  —http://www.seaofstorms.com/mecca/goddess.html.

  Hera

  The iconic mother and wife to Zeus, Hera stands for the hearth, the family, and propriety. Among other things, she is a jealous wife with a philandering husband. Not the happiest of tales, but it makes for some good Greek myths.

  —http://www.promotega.org/asu30020/hera.html.

  Historical Figures

  Florence Nightingale, 1820–1910

  Nightingale was a woman with a calling. The reforms she worked for and the writings she authored still influence the practice of medicine today.

&
nbsp; —http://www.florence-nightingale.co.uk/flo2.htm.

  Sacagawea

  http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/people/s_z/sacagawea.htm.

  Martha Washington

  Our first First Lady.

  —http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/firstladies/mw1.html.

  Eleanor Roosevelt

  The first First Lady to go in with a plan.

  —http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/firstladies/ar32.html.

  Jackie O.

  The First Lady with the most amazing sense of style, a beautiful husband, and beautiful children. O, Jackie!

  —http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/firstladies/jk35.html.

  Princess Diana

  A princess story come to life, Princess Di lived the dream and did magick with it. As Diana grew into herself and out of the Royal House, she used her almost accidental influence in positive ways.

  —http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/page151.asp.

  June Carter Cash

  A truly iconic, inimitable mother and wife.

  —http://maninblack.net/June.html.

  Current Pop-Culture Icons

  Coretta Scott King

  A mother who never sacrificed ideals for family, nor family for ideals. A true warrior of love.

  —http://www.africana.com/research/encarta/csking.asp.

  Rosie O’Donnell

  This is what a mom looks like.

  —http://www.eonline.com/On/Holly/Shows/Odonnell/bio.html.

  Angelina Jolie

  Yep, this is what a mom looks like, too!

  —http://www.celebrity-fansites.com/stars/angelina_jolie/bio.html.

  Pamela Anderson

  And this!

  —http://www.pamwatch.com/bio.html.

  Kim Gordon

  This mother is a Sonic Youth who toured for years while raising her kid. She’s the reason we’re still punk rock.

  —http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kim_Gordon.

  J. K. Rowling

  http://gaga.essortment.com/jkrowlingbiogr_reak.htm.

  Lovers and Sacred Whores

  Here we are at the whore word. I promised you an explanation of this one, and it is my pleasure to offer that to you here. You may have heard of the concept of the sacred whore, or the temple prostitute. If the mystical and magickal aspects of giving on the sexual level appeal to you, I encourage you to do some research on this subject.

  At this juncture, I offer you an etymological basis for understanding these words. They are such loaded terms, and both have beautiful subtextual meaning. The term prostitute comes from the Latin pro and stituere. Pro means “before,” and stituere means “to stand.” The word prostitute literally means “to stand before.” Whore comes from the Indo-European root Ka, which means “to like or desire,” from which carus, the Latin for dear, leads us to caress, cherish, and charity. Whore also shares its root with the word queen.

  Archetypes

  Ishtar

  http://sangha.net/messengers/ishtar.htm.

  Babalon

  http://www.sexmagick.com/aisha/mywork/procession.htm.

  Aphrodite

  The ever popular Hellenic Goddess of Love, mother to Cupid, and lover of Dionysus, this lady knows how to party!

  —http://messagenet.com/myths/bios/aphrodite.html.

  Mary Magdalene

  The second Mary, this Mary is also prayed to. Not by most Catholics, though. Rumored by some to be a prostitute, and by others to be the wife of Christ, and by still others to be a prostitute and the wife of Christ, Magdalene is a woman shrouded in mystery. We do know that she washed Christ’s feet, though, and that’s pretty sexy.

  —http://www.magdalene.org.

  Historical Figures

  Veronica Franco , 1546–1591

  Have you seen the movie Dangerous Beauty? See it!

  —http://www.jazzbabies.com/home/franco.htm.

  Mae West

  “Marriage is a great institution, but I’m not ready for an institution.”

  —http://www.quotationspage.com/quote/405.html, http://www.bookrags.com/biography/mae-west/.

  Marilyn Monroe

  “That’s the trouble, a sex symbol becomes a thing. But if I’m going to be a symbol of something, I’d rather have it sex than some other things we’ve got symbols of.”

  —http://www.ariga.com/frosties/monroemarilyn.shtml, http://www.marilynmonroe.com/about/bio.html.

  Josephine Baker, 1906–1975

  All the rage in Paris in the ’20s, Baker was an amazing woman who was not afraid to flaunt what she had: gorgeous dark skin, beautiful lips, amazing breasts, and a dance style to die for. Josephine was a lover, though she knew how to fight, too.

  —http://www.harlemlive.org/shethang/profiles/josephinebaker/jbaker.html.

  Current Pop-Culture Icons

  Annie Sprinkle

  Have you seen her movie Sluts and Goddesses? See it!!!

  —http://www.sexuality.org/l/art/sprinbio.htm.

  Nina Hartley

  More than twenty years in porn, and still going strong. Oh, and she’s smart, politically aware, spiritually conscious, sweet, and HOT HOT HOT!

  —http://www.adultfilmfan.com/ninahartley.php.

  Carol Queen

  http://www.carolqueen.com

  Susie Bright

  The original “sexpert.” I believe she coined the term!

  —http://susiebright.blogs.com/about.html.

  Crones and Hags

  In researching the etymology of the word crone, I found that its root meaning is “carrion” (from the Vulgar Latin coronia). However, the root of crony is a newer word, and is assumed to be based on the Greek kronos, meaning time. I say we keep using the term crone, and assume that meaning!

  Hag is a word with a rich and varied past, and has carried the meaning of everything from Witch, to wise old woman with magickal powers, to hedge-rider.

  Archetypes

  Hecate

  The Hellenic Crone aspect. She travels with a pack of hounds, stands at the crossroads, and is a midwife, leading beings into and out of their earthly incarnations.

  —http://www.goddessgift.com/goddess-myths/goddess_hecate.htm.

  Cailleach

  This Gaelic Winter Goddess brings the cold, storms, and snow. She is also credited with being the cause of weather, and is fond of animals.

  —http://www.joellessacredgrove.com/Celtic/deitiesc.html.

  Historical Figures

  Mother Jones

  Mother Jones was afforded, along with a choice few others during different time periods, the title of “the most dangerous woman in America.” This white-haired, angelic-faced woman of a certain age was a self-proclaimed “hell raiser” who fought long and hard for workers’ rights. She battled steadfastly for the eight-hour work day, organized strikers and strikers’ wives, and spearheaded the Children’s Crusade against child labor. She had her own children, but lost them all to yellow fever. Out of her loss she built a legacy, and all the workers of America became the children of Mother Jones.

  —http://womenshistory.about.com/library/weekly/aa010430.htm.

  Katharine Hepburn

  http://womenshistory.about.com/cs/quotes/a/qu_k_hepburn.htm.

  Current Pop-Culture Icons

  The Queen Mother

  http://womenshistory.about.com/library/bio/blbio_elizabeth_mum.htm.

  Angelica Huston

  http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001378.

  Dark Queens

  The Dark Queens are a certain type of woman. Secretive perhaps, mysterious, hidden. She lives in the shadows, or often in the chthonic realm—the Underground—and is no stranger to sacrifice. Many of the Dark Queens find some form of meaning, or even resurrection and eternal life, through their own sacrifices. />
  Archetypes

  Caryatid

  http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/encyclopedia/c/ca/caryatid.htm.

  Red Queen

  Ereshkigal

  http://www.gotojassminesitenow.com/goddesses/ereshkigal.html.

  Persephone

  http://www.goddessgift.com/goddess-myths/goddess_persephone.htm.

  Virgin of Guadalupe

  http://www.mexonline.com/virginofguadalupe.htm.

  Tori Amos

  http://www.toriamos.com.

  Historical Figures

  Frida Kahlo

  http://cgfa.sunsite.dk/kahlo/kahlo_bio.htm.

  Marlene Dietrich

  http://www.marlene.com.

  Bettie Page

  http://www.bettiepage.com.

  Martha Graham

  http://womenshistory.about.com/library/bio/blbio_martha_graham.htm.

  Mata Hari

  http://www.bookrags.com/biography/mata-hari.

  Isadora Duncan

  http://www.sfmuseum.org/bio/isadora.html.

  Billie Holiday

  “You can be up to your boobies in white satin, with gardenias in your hair and no sugar cane for miles, but you can still be working on a plantation.”

  —http://afroamhistory.about.com/od/billieholiday/a/lhorne.htm, http://www.cmgww.com/music/holiday/bio.html.

  Edna St. Vincent Millay

  http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/160.

  Current Pop-Culture Icons

  Sinead O’Connor

  http://www.iband.com/music/o_bios/Sinead_O_Connor.html.

  Dita Von Teese

  http://suicidegirls.com/words/Dita+von+Teese+by+Laura+Nixon, www.dita.net/bio.php.

  Siouxsie Sioux

  http://siberia82.tripod.com/siouxbio.html.

  P. J. Harvey

  http://www.mp3.com/pj-harvey/artists/21900/summary.html.

  Rule Breakers, World Shapers

  This category needs little introduction. This is the hall of fame for those women and archetypes who busted out of the other boxes, perhaps even while fulfilling them. These s/heroes lived lives where they put everything on the line, and often had a blast doing it, even against the odds and in the midst of danger.

 

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