Don't Look At Me: It's the Year of Medusa

She wasn't a monster. She was a warning.

The Gorgon’s Glass

It’s 2025, and we’ve entered the Lunar New Year of the Snake—the Year of Medusa. It’s a challenging time. We knew it was coming, though it never looks the way one imagines.

Today, we’re going to roam the dark temples of Medusa. We’ll lean against her columns and refrain from judgment—until we hear her side of the story…

There are many interpretations of how Medusa came to be, yet the common thread casts her as a villain. And what is a villain but a protagonist whose story hasn’t been told yet.

Photo by Francesco Ungaro

Medusa was one of three Gorgons, the only human among her sisters. She was rumored to be very beautiful. As with most historical tales, beauty is often defined in terms of ‘fairness’ and ‘milky white skin,’ but I don’t have time to get into those levels of racism—at least not in this newsletter. Maybe another time.

So, all was well for beautiful Medusa—until she hooked up with Poseidon in Minerva’s temple, which belongs to Athena.

Athena was not having this, and as punishment, she turned Medusa into a hideous creature. Her gorgeous locks became venomous snakes, and no one could look upon her, or they would be turned to stone.

For me, there are two possible scenarios here…

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Scenario #1: Poseidon is the Greek god of the sea. He’s unruly, he’s unpredictable, and has a powerful temper. He’s known for creating earthquakes, and having lots of love affairs. Poseidon is a classic bad boy and Medusa was into him. She liked that he was a force. A tsunami of passion, and she wanted to tap that, so she sleeps with him and gets punished by Athena for being a strong sexual woman that knows what she wants.

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Scenario #2: Medusa was raped by Poseidon in Athena’s temple. This is the more likely story. And after being violated, she was further punished by Athena, who turned her into a monster.

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Either way, Medusa - a human woman, can’t win. Surprise, surprise.

No punishment for Poseidon by the way. Because, of course. That’s just what he does. But Athena comes for Medusa. So, let’s take a closer look at her.

Athena by Hendrick Goltzius

Athena is the Greek goddess of wisdom, warfare, and strategy. She is level-headed, refined, and a virgin goddess. She does not partake in passion, creativity or spontaneous gestures. She can be ruthless, and with one lightning strike, she sets her wrath upon Medusa.

This is a good time to examine feminism—not just the role of strong women in society but also the roles some women choose in the shadow of a strong woman.

Millions of women voted against women’s rights and leadership in this country during last year’s election. Let that sink in.

And with that staggering reality in mind, back to the story…

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Medusa becomes a problem. No one wants to see the aftermath of violence. So what do they do? They exile her. She’s shut away, and labeled a monster. Beware. Look upon her, and you will turn to stone.

Now, everyone can pretend like the rape never happened. Problem solved! Pass the baklava and pour the wine.

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So, Medusa is in the dark. She is wronged. She is hurt. She is shunned. And she is rendered invisible. She can look out at the world, but no one can look at her. And she has a hell of a lot of trauma, which fuels unbridled rage.

Photo by Dilek Yuksel

In the dark, Medusa transforms her pain into power—a power so fierce and potent that it becomes the most sought-after force. Which leads us to Perseus.

Photo by CARLOSCRUZ ARTEGRAFIA

This asshole. This coward.

Perseus, son of Zeus and Danaë, is sent on what seems like a fool’s errand—to slay Medusa. Mind you, I have yet to read a version of Medusa where she seeks out victims. They all come to her. She’s not trying to leave her dungeon. Why can’t they just leave her alone?

So, Athena and Hermes hook Perseus up with winged sandals, a reflective shield, an invisibility helmet, and a magical sword.

Perseus needed all of that to take Medusa out.

Let’s explore the themes that Medusa stands for:

Protection.

Medusa is not really dead. They wanted her power, and after she was beheaded, Athena affixed Medusa’s head to a shield, so Perseus can use it as a weapon. They took her power and weaponized it to protect themselves.

Rebirth + Transformation.

When Medusa was beheaded, a Pegasus sprang from her neck. Out of the darkness, Medusa’s power transforms into hope, light, and wings. Her strength and beauty lives on. Today, in Greece, you can buy trinkets invoking her protection.

Beguiling Beauty.

In 1978, Gianni Versace adopted Medusa’s head as the Versace logo, inspired by mosaic tiles he would run across as a child in the ruins of Reggio Calabria, Italy.

Versace logo

Versace wanted his customers to fall in love with her beauty and be unable to turn away.

“In mythology, the Medusa can petrify people with a look—which is a good thing, I think. But the Medusa is a unique symbol—something strong. It’s about going all the way.” – Donatella Versace

I’ve always loved Medusa. She’s is also my logo. A few years ago, I worked on a design project called MedusaPalooza. How fun would this lineup be?

And while writing this, I realized—I have a lot of snakes in my house!

It’s time to step into our power, ladies. Here’s how to embrace Medusa energy:

• You decide what is beautiful. My shaved head is beautiful. My tattoos are beautiful. My pointy elf ears, which I was teased about in middle school, are beautiful.

  

• Don’t let them take your power. Medusa was so powerful they had to weaponize her. Don’t give your power away. Especially in dark times.

• Stand your ground. Passive aggression is aggression. If someone throws a snarky comment your way, ask them, What did you mean by that? Put the onus back on them. (Shoutout to the beautiful and oh-so-powerful

  Jameela Jamil
  for that tip.)

• Connect with your inner Pegasus. There is an unbridled, winged mythical creature inside of you. Nurture it. Summon it in moments of doubt. My mythical creature is a siren of the sea, with dark green skin and turquoise hair. In The NeverEnding Story, Atreyu had a luck dragon. What does your Pegasus look like?

• Stand for justice. Do not silence your voice. We are in dark times. There are people who do not have the resources or the strength to speak up for themselves. Protect those you can. Be a lighthouse for those who need it.

Now is the time to let our venomous locks down. Who’s with me?

P.S. Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes is a lovely read, told from Medusa’s perspective. I highly recommend it. See you next week my lovelies…✨🐍💜