Vendor Writing: Woman 8

Woman 8

BY JEN A., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR

Woman 1: The Scapegoat: Having taken a bite from the fruit of the tree of knowledge, she is cast out of her home naked and condemned to a life of shame and poverty. Years later, self-righteous men will add the fig leaves to protect them from her naked shame.

Woman 2: The Slave: Draped in coarse burlap, she is little more than a brood mare and works tirelessly to keep her growing family alive as the men wander aimlessly in the desert. She rolls her eyes as the men speak of their search for the promised land. She knows this mythic land will hold no promise for her.

Woman 3: The Virgin: As a young maiden, she is repeatedly raped by the high priests of the temple as she travels the long distance each day to fetch water from the well. When she becomes heavy with child the priests deny any responsibility and convince the village men she is carrying the seed of God himself.

Woman 4: The Harlot: Smart, hard-working, dependable, and revered by everyone in the community, the men conspire to demean her. They lable her a whore and deny her access to the power structure of their world. She shrugs and applies a fresh coat of Jungle Red lipstick. She knows the power she can wield. Who cares what foolish men think? She knows her time will come.

Woman 5: The Token: The society of men begins to fall apart. They trudge off to war at the least provocation. Someone has to decide while the men lust after power abroad. The woman is just a token — the men think — a place keeper. When the men return broken, blank, and drug dependent; the woman becomes more than a token. The woman bides her time as she waits for the men to finally crash and burn. her children, she knows it's time to act.

Woman 7: The Warrior: She withdraws from the society of men and does... nothing.

Woman 8: The Savior: She boldly pulls a 2000 year old sword from a stone. Upon this rock she builds a church exalting the Mother as the Great Creator. The society of women charts a new course of care for the world and devotion to the Great Mother. The Earth tilts at her direction. Nothing is the same after that.