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zoe_m 's review for:
Deer Woman: A Vignette
by Elizabeth LaPensée, Allie Vasquez, Jonathan R. Thunder
Trigger warnings for: violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking.
This vignette is an origin story of Deer Woman, a shapeshifting spirit present in the folklore of Eastern Woodland and Central Plain tribes.
In folkloric tradition, Deer Woman is associated with female fertility, as well as the seduction and violent punishment of promiscuous/adulterous men. LaPensée's tale reframes the narrative of her own sexual assault and the vulnerability of her community to sex trafficking in terms of this empowered and culturally significant figure. It is poignant, raw, and haunting.
There is a short afterward that discusses, more directly, the idea of (re)connecting with your body and your self through self defense, and how that can lead you to once again feel empowered. "It's not about walking strong to detour [sic] an attacker, it's about walking strong because you are powerful, and you should feel that in every fiber of your being... It's about knowing you are not a victim, but a warrior." As someone who is undergoing this same transformation (I turned to kickboxing and body positivity after my sexual assault), this struck a chord and brought the rest of the story home for me. I imagine it will resonate with other warriors, as well.
I read this as part of the Read Harder Challenge, specifically to read a book published by a micro press.
Deer Woman is available to download for free at nativerealities.com.
This vignette is an origin story of Deer Woman, a shapeshifting spirit present in the folklore of Eastern Woodland and Central Plain tribes.
In folkloric tradition, Deer Woman is associated with female fertility, as well as the seduction and violent punishment of promiscuous/adulterous men. LaPensée's tale reframes the narrative of her own sexual assault and the vulnerability of her community to sex trafficking in terms of this empowered and culturally significant figure. It is poignant, raw, and haunting.
There is a short afterward that discusses, more directly, the idea of (re)connecting with your body and your self through self defense, and how that can lead you to once again feel empowered. "It's not about walking strong to detour [sic] an attacker, it's about walking strong because you are powerful, and you should feel that in every fiber of your being... It's about knowing you are not a victim, but a warrior." As someone who is undergoing this same transformation (I turned to kickboxing and body positivity after my sexual assault), this struck a chord and brought the rest of the story home for me. I imagine it will resonate with other warriors, as well.
I read this as part of the Read Harder Challenge, specifically to read a book published by a micro press.
Deer Woman is available to download for free at nativerealities.com.