100% always welcome!! They’re really interesting and the comments and upvotes shows other people think so too. I personally really like that you’re shining a light on the ones not many people have heard of.
The “ones not many people have heard of” thing is very deliberate. Everybody knows Cleopatra (even if only by that horrifically ahistorical film). Many have heard of Nefertiti (even if only because of that famous bust that shows her gorgeous face).
Yet probably the most influential woman in Egyptian history, Hapshetsup, is a name most people haven’t even heard, not to mention know anything of. She’s way more interesting (to me at any rate) than Cleopatra or Nefertiti (though both may show up in later entries because both of them have some intriguing bits to their stories) and more of an inspiration as well. Nefertiti, though influential, got all of her influence from her husband. Cleopatra is more defined by the men in her life than by her own agency. But Hapshetsup? She ruled. Both literally and figuratively.
Absolutely! You’re giving these women the recognition they deserve, and may well have got if they were male. You make a really good point about the women being defined by their men… Cleopatra is famous for being a femme fatale and relationships with famous men. Most people couldn’t tell you many stories outside of that!
I’ve selected my next one. We’re going to the Americas for this one. You’ll have no idea who she is until I’m finished with the story. Then you’ll wonder WHY you had no idea because she’s AWESOME!
100% always welcome!! They’re really interesting and the comments and upvotes shows other people think so too. I personally really like that you’re shining a light on the ones not many people have heard of.
The “ones not many people have heard of” thing is very deliberate. Everybody knows Cleopatra (even if only by that horrifically ahistorical film). Many have heard of Nefertiti (even if only because of that famous bust that shows her gorgeous face).
Yet probably the most influential woman in Egyptian history, Hapshetsup, is a name most people haven’t even heard, not to mention know anything of. She’s way more interesting (to me at any rate) than Cleopatra or Nefertiti (though both may show up in later entries because both of them have some intriguing bits to their stories) and more of an inspiration as well. Nefertiti, though influential, got all of her influence from her husband. Cleopatra is more defined by the men in her life than by her own agency. But Hapshetsup? She ruled. Both literally and figuratively.
Absolutely! You’re giving these women the recognition they deserve, and may well have got if they were male. You make a really good point about the women being defined by their men… Cleopatra is famous for being a femme fatale and relationships with famous men. Most people couldn’t tell you many stories outside of that!
I’ve selected my next one. We’re going to the Americas for this one. You’ll have no idea who she is until I’m finished with the story. Then you’ll wonder WHY you had no idea because she’s AWESOME!
Sounds perfect!! Can’t wait to read it
might be fun when covering well-known women of history to focus on myth-busting and showing the lesser-known side
I will eventually get around to Cleopatra and hoo boy howdy are there myths to bust there. Like:
And so on. She’s a good example of a strong woman (just not as strong as Hapshetsup was) whose history was rewritten.