The Burning Times: fascinating docu on women's power before Christianity

[sakura]

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ANd why women are feared to the extent that they are accused of witchcraft and killed for it

No worries SAF, I just worried because I was being snarky to Tyr about my knowledge of OE and it was a bit cheap given the OED outclasses that any day.

I think he knows what hysteria means and is hoping we'll bite.

There are still parts of the world where women are be sold - into prostitution, for example - by their husbands. It's not just in the past.

SGM that is awful.

Also - in light of what Tyr said about India (which is rubbish anyway, but ...) - this isn't just happening in cultures where arranged marriage is the norm. Look at Russia and Eastern Europe.

I didn't dispute the origin of the word itself. She is correct that "husband" and "husbandry" come from the same root; it is equally correct to say that the word "paedophile" means one who loves children. Similarly, she is correct that women were executed as witches. That is about the sum of it.

jezz SAF will you leave off the shrillness!

Discussion has probably moved on and I haven't caught up yet but I thought this was quite interesting:

"Information regarding contraception available to women in the Tudor period was passed around by word-of-mouth as part of unwritten women's culture. As a result, it aroused deep suspicion among men, who always regarded women's activities as mysterious and potentially threatening. Any interference with the natural processes was considered witchcraft, and women (or men) promoting contraception or even offering advice to other women on contraceptive methods might be charged with witchcraft and executed. Many of the women executed as witches at the end of the Tudor period and early in the Stuart period were accused either of promoting contraception or causing abortions".

This case in 1895 was also interesting, there is a very good book on it available:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridget_Cleary

is it your time of the month of something SAF?

LRD,

What did I say about India that was rubbish?

So basically, Tyr, you quoted her points about husbandry and women as livestock, took the piss, but on reflection admit she's correct and you look like a prat? Good good.

Brian - you just made me think of the current US situation about women being investigated when they miscarry in case they 'procured abortion'.

at SAF and Alice. Bless, you wee womens are so cute when you're angry eh?

Tyr - you said India was 'the ends of the earth', which it's not (mainly because that's a meaningless phrase). Abuse of women doesn't just happen in faraway countries. As SGM has just shown.

I don't know enough about America to say on that issue, SAF, but it really feels like it, doesn't it?

Saf - you saying about 'banishing' reminded me that there's a bloke at work that won't shake hands with any women (its traditional to/expected in my line of work when you first meet someone) in case they're on their period

This really pisses me off.

Did someone just ask a poster if it was their time of the month??? On a feminist forum??