Here's my paper anyway. I really hope it will clarify some things. :/
Women and Heathenry
Despite immense growth and development in the last 50 years, many Heathen Reconstructionist groups still grapple with perceptions of machismo and criticism from other contemporary pagans for being unsympathetic towards women’s spirituality. However much has changed since the early revival movements of the 1970s, and modern Heathen kindreds attract a growing number of female participants. As a Reconstructionist group, Heathenry is primarily concerned with recreating the spiritual experience of pre-Christian northern Europeans. (Horrell) By analyzing the standing of women in pre-Christian Europe, the status and roles of practicing heathen women today, the various female divinities of heathenry, and the value systems many kindreds emulate; it is possible to reflect upon Heathenry’s growing appeal to modern women.
Before the Judeo-Christian invasions of northern Europe in 10ce, women in ‘Elder Heathen’ communities of what now comprise the Germanic and Scandinavian countries enjoyed a greater sense of egalitarianism than many of their contemporaries in the ancient societies of the Middle East or the Mediterranean. (Jochens) Women were not taught they were inferior to men and had control over their own property, dowries, and matters of sexuality. Wives were given all the family’s wages as well as the keys to the house and had complete authority over all domestic matters. Women uninterested in housewifery were not looked down upon for pursuing other lifestyles as wise women, prophetesses, healers, midwives, or even warriors. (Arnold) In these societies, females were understood to have a provident and sacred role, and their advice was sought in all matters of life. (Blain) Because of this, Reconstructionist Heathens seeking to abolish any post-Christian influence have no reservations for the roles of women in modern kindreds. To this day the practices of frith weaving, spay working and rune reading are largely associated with feminine energy and practiced by primarily by women priestesses called ‘Gythia,’ who preside over heathen ritual and communities and are supposed to have a stronger connection with certain deities. Interestingly, while most practitioners of these forms of divination are female; the practice is most closely associated with the ‘all-father’ Odin, the male leader in the pantheon of Norse gods and goddesses. This is because in Heathen lore, Odin seeks out the knowledge of these forms of magic and then passes the knowledge on as a gift to both humankind and his handmaidens, the Valkyries. The Valkyries, including the popular Vanir goddess Freyja, are given first choice over the souls of the battle slain and are said to use their frith weaving to determine who dies on the battlefield. (Horrell) The emphasis on female power over divination continues with the Norns, triplets who maintain the ‘Well of Wyrd’ at the base of the world. Wyrd is best described in English as ‘karma’ or ‘fate,’ although emphasis is placed on the possibility of change. These practices are encouraging to women, because they give them a sense of empowerment and the capability of being a positive catalyst for change. In both instances, women are ultimately ‘in control’ of the situation.
Certainly, these are not the only potent female figures. Many women who take an interest in paganism select specific goddesses which resonate strongly with them to revere. The Heathen pantheon offers a different spin on the feminine conceptualization of the divine, perhaps offering a counter to the ‘marianismo’ mentality which teaches passivity, purity and motherhood as the ultimate feminine strengths. Stephen McNallen, who pioneered the first Asatru reconstruction groups in the United States, counters perceptions of Freyja as a simple representation of ‘love and beauty:’
“Lest we fall into the snare of thinking of The Lady of the Vanir in the somewhat predictable female roles of sex goddess or promoter of the perpetual pregnancy, we must remember her fiercer side…when we recall that she chooses half of the battle-slain, when we reflect on her links to the Valkyries and consider her many parallels with Odin, we are lead to conclude that her marital abilities must be formidable…her message is simple, that women too can be strong, assertive, and full of fight. As Frey tells men that they can be lovers and fighters, Freyja says the same thing to women.” (Adler)
Generally within heathenry, traits of ‘marianismo’ such as compliancy, vulnerability, docility, and unassertiveness are seen as unattractive virtues to possess whether the person be male or female. (Horrell) The word ‘marianismo’ in itself is a reference to the Virgin Mary. This suggests that the assigning of gender onto a specific set of virtues is a product of Judeo-Christian influences. For many women, Heathenry may be appealing for the exactly the same reason it has been criticized- because there’s nothing stopping women from participating in machismo and ‘masculine’ activities themselves. (McNallen) There are no special reservations or conditions set aside to dictate that a woman’s virtues be different than another person’s- while it may be true that many Heathens embrace a certain ‘warrior’s mentality,’ nowhere does it say that women are excluded from this should they choose. Perhaps the best instance of this is with the Jotunn (or giant) turned-goddess Skadi, who intimidates the Aesir into bending to her, will. Skadi is the personification of mountains, winter, revenge, justice, and independence; modern women interested in feminine spirituality may resonate with this goddess because of her emphasis on self-reliance and strength.
This is not to say that the archetypical image of the Mother doesn’t present within Heathenry. Role sharing is very common within the pantheon and several deities embody this tradition. (Matrons and…) Foremost is Frigg, ‘mother of the gods.’ Immensely wise, Frigg can see the fate of all mankind and is equal in cunning and status to her husband, Odin. She is the patron of women, childbirth, comforting the elderly, domestic affairs, weaving and frith. Women in Elder Heathen communities made a large portion of the income for their families by spinning yarn to weave fabrics, a testament to their economic power. (Frigg) The spindle became a symbol of feminine wisdom, virtue, magic, and industry; evidenced by both Frigg and the Norns ability to ‘weave’ reality. Many heathen women may have used Frigg’s rune ‘berkana’ as a sort of magical amulet to protect their houses and children. Others may have called upon the ‘Disir,’ a type of female spirit resembling a guardian angel to protect their homes or loved ones. There is significant evidence of matron worship among the Elder Heathen, including over 1000 alters and votive stones found across northern Europe. (Matrons and…) Despite being less popular in modern times than their fiercer peers, these deities and mythical ancestors were arguably extremely important to a large number of Elder Heathens and reflect a common theme of reverence for ancestry which continues today. In contemporary Heathenry, mothers are honored annually on the first day of Yule. This short praise is an example of this respect:
“As we encourage the return of Sunna (the feminine aspect of the Sun) we honor the feminine all around us. Honor the Idises, Asynjor, all Mothers, Great Grandmothers and your feminine ancestors. Raise a horn to the glorious women who give birth to us and to the feminine spirits that support us. Give this time in honor to all Mothering aspects.” (Elmersson)
Interestingly, there is no identifiable celebration for fathers.
While this is just a small sampling of the many aspects of Heathenry which may appeal to modern women, inarguably the percentage of women in Heathenry continues to grow. While the absence of a universal leader or kindred makes it difficult to come up with an exact figure; Godi and writer for the Ring of Troth estimates a 20% increase in female participants since 1992. Perhaps with further increase, Heathenry can mediate outside criticism as well as further cultivate the feminine portion of the divine which was so crucial to the Elder Heathen.
Works Cited.
Women in Asatru. <http://www.oocities.org/athens/delphi/4452/AsaWomen.htm>
Asatru: the Native Religion of the European People<http://www.asatru.ca/img/Asatru - The Native Religion-b.pdf>
Norse Heathenism<http://www.religioustolerance.org/asatru.htm>
The Standing of Heathen Women< http://www.goheathen.org/wordpress/?p=18>
Synder, Steffanie. Voices of Modern American Asatru Women.
Asatru and Women < http://asatruringfrankfurt.de/en/1articles/asatruandwomen.html>
Women in Germanic Heathenry <http://swainblog.englatheod.org/?p=22>
Irminsul Aettir. < http://www.irminsul.org/>
Asatru Folk Assembly. < http://www.runestone.org/>
Reconstructionism in Modern Heathenism. < http://odroerirjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Odroerir-Issue-1.pdf#page=11>
Blain, Jenny. Representing Spirit- Heathenry, New Indigenes and the Imaged Past.
Lewis, James. Magical Religion and modern Witchcraft (chapter 9: Asatru)
Jochens, Jenny. Women in Old Norse Society.
Schrader, Richard J. God’s Handiwork- Images of Women in Early Germanic Literature.
Arnold, Bettina. Gender and the Archeology of Death: The Position of Iron Age Scandinavian Women.
Horrell, Thad. Lecture, Interview.
Matrons and the Disir: Heathen Tribal Mothers. < http://www.friggasweb.org/matrons.html>
Frigg. < http://www.thorshof.org/frigg.htm>
Elmersson, Vaygar Yngvi. 12 Days of Yule.
Alder, Margot. Drawing Down the Moon.
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