Opinion | The Ancient Roots of Trump’s Attacks on Harris
www.nytimes.com
The Trump campaign’s attacks on Kamala Harris echo misogynistic attacks on ancient Roman empresses and medieval queens.

The Romans loved a conspiracy theory, and rumors of women-led cover-ups pepper their history. This motif took hold most robustly in the peculiar conditions of the early Roman Empire, as the male aristocrats who’d once ruled the Roman Republic became concerned that women were co-opting power that was rightfully male.

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The long dominance of the classical education system threaded these clichés throughout Western thought and provided a blueprint for anxious characterizations of female power.

  • Em Adespoton@lemmy.ca
    141·
    3 months ago

    Is this article trying to normalize Trump’s demonization of powerful women?

    Odd thing is, the author stopped at the Roman Empire. I guess that means they’ve had their daily thoughts about the Roman Empire?

    First nation that comes to mind for me is Israel, between the single ruling queen, Athaliah, who attempted to kill all the male competition for the throne, and references to Jezebel, Michal, and other non-ruling queens painted as powers behind the throne that caused failure in the ruling kings.

    But I’m pretty sure you could go back further than that; any patriarchal society is going to do the same thing.

      • zanteEnglish
        11·
        3 months ago

        Oh yeah the right wing Classicists are vibrating in their libraries.