The Medusa Society Ceremonical Feast  Opening Toast:

Woman  1: Welcome to another gathering of the Medusa Society

Woman 2:  We honor our namesake in this space and draw strength from her story

Woman 3: Medusa—whose story was told by men in power and perverted for their own interests

Woman 4: Medusa—whose story is re-told to young girls today–portraying her as a cunning seductress of Poseidon and willful defiler of Athena’s temple.  

Woman 5: Medusa—who was actually raped at work by Poseidon, and was a dedicated priestess in Athena’s temple.

Woman 6: Medusa—who instead of gaining justice and solidarity from her sacred goddess of wisdom, Athena, to whom she had dedicated her life, was instead cursed to be a Gorgon by her.

Woman 7: Medusa—who was made ugly with writhing snakes in her hair as punishment for being beautiful.  She was blamed for her own rape.

Woman 8: Medusa—who was a victim of the male gaze, but whose own stare became cursed and deadly.

Woman 9: Medusa—who fled from her home and everyone she knew to keep others safe.

Woman 10: Medusa–who was hunted as sport by Perseus on a quest to prove his manliness, her head brought back as a trophy. Death by toxic masculinity.

Woman 11: Medusa—whose image today is sexualized in the media.

Woman 12: Medusa—who is portrayed as white today though she was Libyan.  Her true racial identity is hidden by modern society.

Woman 13: We gather today in solidarity of the struggle of women who fight for justice.  We gather today to give and take strength from one another

Woman 14: We gather today because we have created this space for ourselves and one another

All: If you can’t find it–make it!