In the fantasy and sci-fi world, imperfect creatures get a bad rap. Trolls, goblins, Medusa, vampires, and witches are often painted as dark creatures (and usually darker-hued) of whom we should be afraid. One of my favorite 2023 reads was Circe by Madeline Miller, which reclaims the Greek witch’s story for herself, giving her depth and autonomy denied to her by the ancient Greek storytellers. I’ve also been reading theories about Medusa that argue that she was not a monster but a woman who was sexually assaulted by Poseidon and victim-blamed by Athena. Some of these theories say that Medusa’s stone-turning eyes and the snakes in her hair were gifts from Athena, not punishment, offered by the goddess to protect her from further assaults. This modern take is noted in the new Percy Jackson series on Disney. Medusa, encountering Percy and his friends, reminds Percy and Annabeth that they have the same grandparents when Percy calls her a monster. Later, Annabeth accuses Medusa of betraying Athena, to which Medusa yells in response, “I LOVED ATHENA!” It’s a poignant moment that probably escaped notice for many viewers, but I saw it as a further evolution of Medusa’s story from villain to victim.
I started writing this to complain about trolls online, but my mind, doing what it does, began to wonder, “Why do we call them trolls?” Why do trolls have to be the name for bad actors? The petty way people online act is more like the Olympians themselves. Now, I am contemplating the power of telling your own story, like Circe. That’s what online trolls (Olympians) take away from us: power. Engaging with them is like swimming in the Atlantic Ocean. You won’t get too far before you drown. Their narrative becomes your own because you’re stuck in the muck of trying to disprove their words. I argue with Olympians (trolls) a lot, too much. When they call me fat, or dumb, or whatever, I want them to be wrong, so I fight back. I tell myself I am defending my honor, but that’s impossible because these people will never listen. My 140 characters aren’t going to change their mind. They have decided my story and fate for themselves. By engaging with them, I give power to their narrative and take power from my truth. I don’t do New Year's resolutions, but if I did, I would say this year, I will ignore the Olympians. I have much to accomplish in 2024, and fighting with invisible gods won’t allow me to reach those goals. As my favorite complicated congresswoman is famed for saying, I am reclaiming my time.
Now…if you read this and see me arguing with @Bobby019398391 next week, just drop this link in response with a sharp “Tami…”. Because I am only human, and as ancient mythology has taught us, the gods are irresistible. :)