Recently many of my friends and clients have been trying out new tattoos and they have asked me about the meaning of many different tattoos. The Medusa tattoo caught my interest, and it seems that many people associate this tattoo with feminism. I spent some time learning about Medusa’s image and found some interesting stories.

History of Medusa

The three Gorgon sisters—Medusa, Stheno, and Euryale—were all children of the ancient marine deities Phorcys (or “Porky’s”) and his sister Ceto (or “Keto”), chthonic monsters from an archaic world.
The snake-haired Medusa does not become widespread until the first century B.C. The Roman author Ovid describes the mortal Medusa as a beautiful maiden seduced by Poseidon in the temple of Athena. Such a sacrilege attracted the goddess’ wrath, and she punished Medusa by turning her hair into snakes.

The Myth of Medusa

The image of “Medusa” first appeared in ancient Greek mythology. According to the description of the story, Medusa is a beautiful girl, with gem-blue eyes like the sea clear. But her body was covered with scales. There was no hair on her head, only dozens of coiled and twisting vipers. Even so, it is still hard to ignore her stunning beauty, she is the snake-haired demoness Medusa.
In the Roman poet Ovid’s version of the Medusa myth, Medusa was originally a beautiful maiden, but when Poseidon had sex with her in Athena’s temple, Athena punished Medusa by turning her beautiful hair into a terrible snake.

Medusa & Feminism

Why is Medusa associated with feminism? In Mary Valentis and Anne Devane’s Feminine Rage: Uncovering Its Secrets, Claiming Its Power, I found this passage “We interviewed many people about their perceptions of Medusa, and they said they associated Medusa with imagining women in anger. They all (both men and women) thought Medusa was ‘the most fearsome woman in the world,’ even though none of them could remember the details of the myth.”
In older cultures, female power was an impermissible presence and a dangerous presence that needed to be subjugated and controlled by men. The story of Medusa and Perseus is a microcosm of the oppression of women’s rights by male power. Medusa’s current image is shaped by people who want to uglify female authority. And in contemporary times Medusa’s repeated comparisons to Hillary Clinton during the 2016 presidential election, proves that examples can be found associated with her even in modern politics. Medusa has gradually become the image in Western culture whenever women’s rights are at stake. Medusa’s story is one of rape, but one of victim-blaming, a story that sounds all too familiar in current America.

Medusa Tattoo Gallery

Medusa tattoo meaning is female power, freedom, and transformation. Medusa’s strength and femininity have made her an alluring subject for artists since the ancient Greek period. Medusa is portrayed in most tattoo art as a “symbol used to protect and defend against dangerous elements” and “to ward off evil with one evil image after another. But for others, her reptilian skin and hair may also symbolize the cycle of life. If you want to get a Medusa tattoo, then I have a special guide tailored for you.

Conclusion

The reason I think Medusa can represent feminism is that she can express female anger very well. The savage appearance of the snake-haired demoness gives women the ability to turn their gear into power, and she simultaneously symbolizes the protector of women.
At the end of past mythologies, Medusa’s head is set on Athena’s shield, and her head retains the ability to turn onlookers to stone. It was also a form of oppression and humiliation of the sexual victim. And now Medusa should no longer be a symbol of power for survivors of sexual assault; she will use her powers to make every aggressor punishable.
The popularity of Medusa tattoos also symbolizes the awakening of female consciousness. Now please tell me. If it were you, would you choose her? Why? Please leave your answer in the comments, your thoughts are critical to me.