This Week in the War on Women: 12/13-19/2020: Winter Solstice Edition

Happy Holidays!!

This time of year we celebrate Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Christmas, and so on. But it all started with the Winter Solstice.

How far back did it all start? At least the Neolithic period of the Stone Age! Stonehenge is oriented to the winter solstice sunset; Newgrange is oriented to the winter solstice sunrise, when

the rising sun shines through a “roof box” near the entrance and floods the main passageway and the inner chamber with light.

I could not find any articles on women’s involvement with Newgrange nor Stonehenge back when they were built! Such articles do not mention the gender of any of their builders. But I did find that the beginning of the Neolithic period is believed to be a long period of gender equality— at the start of that era, men and women appear to be equal, so it seems to me that these sites may have been built with full participation by both. What, women can’t lift big blocks, you say? Neither could men, that’s the whole mystery of these places! So if a pulley or other technological system could be devised to build these, it could just as easily make building possible for women as for men.

Note that the above article explains that later graves show men, but not women, with war wounds, and archaeologists equate that with a rise in male dominance. No one seems to have thought that perhaps during a time of increasing violence, women might have been in charge, sending the men out and protecting themselves, indicating perhaps a rise in female dominance. Welp, archaeology is rife with assumptions based upon society as it currently stands.

Certainly, these ancient sites have entranced both women and men since:

There is a place on the east
Mysterious ring, a magical ring of stones
The druids lived here once, they said
Forgotten is the race that no one knows

The circled tomb of a different age
Secret lines carved on ancient stones
Heroic kings laid down to rest
Forgotten is the race that no one knows

Wait for the sun on a winter's day
And a beam of light shines across the floor
Mysterious ring, a magical ring
Forgotten is the race that no one knows

Source: LyricFind

Songwriter: Ciaran Marion Brennan

(Note that in the above video, the photo of Druids shows them at Stonehenge, not Newgrange. And that archaeologists have determined that both sites predate the arrival of the Celts so are not druidical artifacts, even though both are popular gathering sites for rituals with modern druids.)

(Note also that race is a social construct, not a biological reality. So we do actually know the “race” that built Newgrange — the Neolithic peoples. But the video features a pretty melody, prettily performed, with lots of pretty photos of Newgrange, which many people have never heard of before. We educate and entertain!)

Here’s another interesting bit about the winter solstice: The ancient Romans celebrated Saturnalia during the week before:

Saturnalia was a hedonistic time, when food and drink were plentiful and the normal Roman social order was turned upside down. For a week, slaves would become masters. Peasants were in command of the city. Business and schools were closed so that everyone could join in the fun.

Sounds like a great holiday to commemorate and imitate! Maybe the guys should prepare the feast this year. The homeless should move into the White House and the $Rump family move to the streets. What else could we turn upside down?

In Other News:

Paris fined €90,000 for breaching gender parity law by appointing too many women in senior roles

U.S. Asks High Court to Halt Mail Delivery of Abortion Pills

Trump administration to withhold Medicaid funding from California over abortion insurance requirement

Good news:

Book Recommendation: Delusions of Gender, by Cordelia Fine:

Passionately argued and unfailingly astute, Delusions of Gender provides us with a much-needed corrective to the belief that men’s and women’s brains are intrinsically different―a belief that, as Fine shows with insight and humor, all too often works to the detriment of ourselves and our society.

A Mighty Girl provides the Girl Empowerment Holiday Gift Guide for children of all ages. Including for teens, “Cat Crimes: The Who’s to Blame Logic Game”. Sounds like fun!

Feminist Recipes: Delish, quick, and in honour of our sheroes:

Jane Fondue

(Great for a holiday snack break!)

(NOTE: Both the cheese and the wine get better and better with increasing age. The wine is fruity, spicy, nutty, and full-bodied. Note also I have never used Kirsch but one of our admins swears by it, so I know I’ll be trying it next time! And since Ms. Fonda has always been a bit of a “health nut,” we offer healthier dippers than the usual bread! Dippers can be prepared in advance and stored in the fridge. Lemon wash keeps apples from browning after cutting.)

Instructions: Rub inside of fondue pot all over with butter to help keep fondue from sticking. Heat about a cup of wine in pot just short of boiling. Gradually stir in about 3/4 of cheese, stirring constantly until cheese melts. Taste and add cheese or wine as needed to balance flavors. If mixture needs to thicken, add a bit of cornstarch. Continue alternating additions, stirring until pleased with taste and texture.

Serve immediately: Place fondue pot over low flame in middle of table. Serve surrounded by shrimp, veggies and fruits for dipping, attractively arranged with alternating colors, either on platters around fondue pot or on individual plates.

During Covid year: Only indulge with people you already live with. And make sure everyone washes hands for at least 20 seconds before coming to the table!

As always, the WOW diary is a collaboration amongst members of the group. Thank you to mettle fatigue, officebss, SandraLLAP and ramara for links and discussion behind the scenes!

If you have other positive notes or recipes you’d like to add to the Comments as a “gift” for the holidays, please feel free to share!!!