Wyatt Tan, Period 6, 10/19/2023

Wyatt Tan

Period 6

10/18/2023

During our class discussion, we talked about our reactions to reading about Zeus being oppressive and raping many women. For me, learning about Zeus sexually harassing other women in Greek mythology was profoundly unsettling and uncomfortable for several reasons. First off, the introduction to Zeus’ flaws was extremely shocking. Seeing the “King of Olympus” be called out for his flaws is like finding out the president has committed a crime. But even after all these crimes he has committed on numerous women, including his wife, it highlights a troubling aspect of ancient societies and their acceptance of such behavior. Zeus, the king of the gods, often used his power to pursue and seduce mortal women, often without their consent. This creates a harmful narrative that normalizes sexual harassment and abuse of power, which can be disturbing in the context of modern values that promote respect, consent, and gender equality.

In my perspective, the tales of Zeus's sexual misconduct in Greek mythology are a perfect representation of the enduring issue of misogyny. These stories support harmful stereotypes that undermine women's freedom, portraying them as mere objects of desire or conquest. In connection with this, there have been other examples of sexual misconduct in ancient worlds. One example that was brought up in class was Genghis Khan’s Mongol Conquest. The Mongol conquest was a distinctive representation of the idea of using sexual desires to show control or conquest amongst a group of people. Genghis Khan raped many women during his time of control, using this as a means of showing his power in conquered lands. This idea of standardizing sexual harassment during ancient times is a true depiction of how far we have come as a society. Building on this, in the current era of the feminist movement, there has been an increased awareness of sexual harassment. Reflecting on these myths can serve as a cautionary reminder of the importance of challenging and changing such deeply ingrained societal norms. 

In conclusion, learning about Zeus's sexual harassment in Greek mythology can be uncomfortable because it forces us to confront the darker aspects of our history and recognize how far we have come in advocating for gender equality and the importance of consent. This experience has truly taught me that our society is constantly changing and that our norms today may not be the same in a few years. Reflecting upon these ancient stories is essential to show that even though some of us may be satisfied with the way our world is run right now,  we should never be complacent. These tales serve as a reminder of the need to continue pushing for a society that values and respects the rights and dignity of all individuals, regardless of their gender.