Have you ever dreamed of ruling an empire?

flying lady

As a little girl, I somehow skipped the Disney princess phase and went straight to fantasizing about women with real power: ancient queens and mythic goddesses. Magical women who could tame dragons, turn enemies to stone and fly through the air. I’ve been thinking about them again recently, wondering why we don’t have more stories and images of women who wield power gloriously and admirably. Would it make a difference?

For the past couple of weeks, I’ve been working on a show tracing the roots of cultural anxiety about women and power all the way back to the ancient, Classical world. I learned about Hatshepsut, one of Egypt’s greatest female pharaohs; about Circe, the first witch in Western literature; and about the great bird goddesses of old. I found it unexpectedly empowering. And I’m very curious to know if you will, too. Let me know!

—Anne