We are a tribe of warrior princesses!

[Beth Andrea]

I can't say I ever feel anything like a warrior.

I feel more like a refugee.  I held on and somehow survived the world coming down around me.  Now I am just kind of unmoored, feeling a lot of loss, and trying to put a life back together in a collapsed world.

This is me, also. My "warrior" days are long past.

Especially since today is my daughter's 21st birthday, and she told me that she'd rather not have me at her party, thankyouverymuch. Big day for her...and I, her father(-ish), am not to go.

Where is my family?

[Devlyn]

Big hug! Beth, she's 21. Some day she'll realize how hurtful that was, and it shall bring you closer together, I know it will. Hugs, Devlyn

[BunnyBee]

Sorry Beth

[Jamie D]

Penthesilea, Amazon Queen

[Jamie D]

The statue portrays femininity with strength.

I find it to be a fitting metaphor.

[Devlyn]

That's ok, this warriorette is a'gettin' drunkd.

On rum and Mexican coke coca-cola. Soda pop. Like Pepsi, but better.

We get the Mexican Coca-Cola here, it's still made with sugar like in the old days. Er, not that a spring chicken like me knows anything about the old days.

[stavraki]

I was talking to my therapist yesterday. And we were talking about the importance of retaining all the good things about who you were pre-transition as you go through transition and then start a new, female life.

'You are strong now,' she said, 'and you will be a strong woman, too.'

And then she added, 'I think of my girls as warrior princesses.'

I should say that my therapist is like a girls' school headmistress. Anyone who goes through transition with her - and there are LOTS - is one of 'my girls' and it's possessive, and supportive and very sweet. Anyway, she then went on:  'They're amazing. They're beautiful and feminine, but within them they have everything they learned and experienced when they were living a male life, and it gives them incredible power.'

I think it's an incredibly empowering idea to think of oneself as a warrior princess. And I know that it can apply to all of us, so I just wanted to share it with everyone here.

Be proud.
Be strong.
You're a warrior princess!!

Did people not in Oz ever seen the show Xena?

The caption of the show--and for about a half decade, often you heard

XENA!  Warrior Princess! la la la la la, her battle cry

She had a grin, ear to ear, on a jaw as wide as Brad Pitt's - and a strong, unshakable beauty, as her beautifully muscular arms and gorgeous, thick waste, strong shoulders as she pulled back the bow.  Raven, long Amazonian hair.  And a mental constitution forged with Trial By Fire.  Her females in her warrior tribe--thin, old, young, features as varied as there are stars in the heavens.  All beautiful.  Stunning.  So, from vulnerability, to strength, but without sacrificing compassion for vulnerability.  Self-sacrificing, but self-affirming, self-caring and self-protective.

A true hero is not what we are shown on the television--superman, spiderman and Prince Planet (okay, that one's showing my age *coughs* from the sixties).  They are the warriors of the human heart, who traverse boundaries of convention, by the decision to defy convention in acknowledgement of their basic mental infrastructure.  They are forged in the cauldron of society's prejudices, and commune in enclaves where, battle weary, they draw strength, solace and comfort amongst people who love them, empathise with their journey and see the steel of their being in the tears of their struggle.

You are amazing.  Your therapist is a beautiful human being.  And you GO GIRL and SHOUT THAT WARRIOR PRINCESS so loud that the Earth stops turning for a moment, and the people stand still, all around the world as the Earth beneath their feet trembles at your coming. 

Without a moment's hesitation, I would be proud to stand as a flag bearer--not in first place, for I have not earned that privilege.  You have.  And those who come near with a scornful glance, rejecting eye, or petty word and cheap shot.

I will get out my mother's diamond crusted stiletto, march up to their quarter, and scratch on the earth

"warning, Warrior Princesses wither conventional judgment, change the world, re-write policy and love - they will wither you with their gaze of steel.  Though they cry, too often alone, they are stronger than you.  And their withering gaze was forged by your incaution when they needed your love"

[Jamie D]

"The Amazon" - Franz von Stuck, 1897

[V M]

"The Amazon" - Franz von Stuck, 1897

Are you sure that's not an advert for Trojans?

[Jamie D]

Funny you should say that, because according to legend, a band of Amazons died in the defense of Troy.

Penthesileia (Penthesilea) - "An Amazon queen. Penthesileia was the daughter of the war god Ares and Otrere. Penthesileia was a superb, fierce warrior as she was beautiful.

Penthesileia had killed another Amazon queen, named Hippolyta or Hippolyte. Priam, the king of Troy, had purified her for the killing, in return for support, in later years.

Penthesileia led the Amazons to Troy on the last year of the Trojan War. Penthesileia had killed many Greeks in battle, including the Greek healer named Machaon. She was, however, no match for Achilles, who killed her."

[V M]

Yes, Hippolyta was her sister, it was a 'hunting accident'

Penthesilea

[Carlita]

Yes, Hippolyta was her sister, it was a 'hunting accident'

Penthesilea

We are a tribe of warrior princesses ... and scholars of ancient history!!

[Carrie Liz]

Hmm, why am I suddenly getting this song stuck in my head?

[Jamie D]

Let us not forget the Valkyries



Valkyrie, Copenhagen, Stephan Abel Sinding, 1908

[Cindy]

And Wendy !!!

[Jamie D]

It is interesting though, that virtually every culture has mythical or real examples of female warriors, who often transcended traditional gender roles.

[stavraki]

Funny you should say that, because according to legend, a band of Amazons died in the defense of Troy.

Penthesileia (Penthesilea) - "An Amazon queen. Penthesileia was the daughter of the war god Ares and Otrere. Penthesileia was a superb, fierce warrior as she was beautiful.

Penthesileia had killed another Amazon queen, named Hippolyta or Hippolyte. Priam, the king of Troy, had purified her for the killing, in return for support, in later years.

Penthesileia led the Amazons to Troy on the last year of the Trojan War. Penthesileia had killed many Greeks in battle, including the Greek healer named Machaon. She was, however, no match for Achilles, who killed her."

I love the mythologies of the ancients.  Sometimes I read them when I need insight about a struggle, or when I'm feeling defeated and broken.  Always, and like the Muses (the demigods of the Ancient Greek Pantheon), there comes an inspiration.

.....when Hades, master of the underworld, abducted Persephones, and fed her a pomegranate with a love spell upon it, Demeter, in her grief for losing her daughter and wrath at Hades, turned the world to frozen ice.  She forced Hades' hand, and in exchange for Persephones return for a season each year to the Pantheon, Demeter gave the world Spring.  And so, the Seasons were made.

Inspirer of Female warrior princesses of the human heart.  And only by tragedy and mishap--and for Love--was Demeter, a great warrior princess of the Pantheon, able to defy even Zeus.  She was unstoppable.  No malice, trick or guile, appeal or power in the Universe stopped Demeter.  And from her love, the Seasons were changed.

Just so, as well for society, as the warrior princess will alter the seasons of our social order, by bearing their steel, grace, poise and love of diversity and by their being.

[V M]

I wonder how long it will take before our 'modern' religions of the day will be considered as ancient mythologies and how will our political structuring will factor into with that?

[Keaira]

I know I am a warrior Princess and have known all my life. And here is why.
1. I grew up in the military. My Dad was in the Army.
2. I served in the RAF. It seemed like the natural thing to do actually. I was drawn to it more than any other career choice.
3. It's in my blood. My Grandfather was in the Navy. my Cousin is in the Army and even one of my ancestors was a well known Scottish warrior who died at the battle of Pinkie. He's buried in what's known as 'The Long Highlandman's Grave.'
4. I have guns, knives and swords.
5. I learned Aikido and some Karate.
6. I went to DC to fight for Transgender Rights. Even though my weapon was the power of speech, it's still a battle I will be more than happy to fight, because we deserve to be treated as equals!
7. My whole transition has been a battle. None of it has been a cakewalk. And I'm still fighting.

So, there you go. Sign me up for battle.

[stavraki]

I wonder how long it will take before our 'modern' religions of the day will be considered as ancient mythologies and how will our political structuring will factor into with that?

From the Muses, inspired by the questions as a storyline for a sci fi novel.

Transgendered people are time travellers from the future, sent to us here in the early 21st century, and they are specially chosen souls, sent back in time, to educate human beings out of their primordial impulses.  To help mature the human race and ready us for travel to other worlds.

And the literal

Hmm.  When reconfiguration of laws embeds a 'self-regulatory' super-structure, in overarching meta-legal frameworks.  Um--when humanitarian laws evolve into their next form, which might mean, for example, that there are pre-emptory mechanisms codified into specific law-driven procedures, that are not just reactive, as laws are now--but also proactive and impelling of change.   But by pre-emptory--careful with that word--much harm done with it--pre-emptory of social evolution.

For example--a society where as part of your civic duty, one has a social obligation to experience and live with and in minority group enclaves (protected and benign ones), as part of your "Civil-utant" (adapted from the idea of one's debutant).  Not so radical, really--we have jury duty which is basically the same set of principles, but for reactive, not proactive law structures.

....I can think of others....