To Become a Goddess: Kristen Millares Young on Motherhood and Marriage
I was no virgin when I met my husband, and he knew it. We have been monogamous, but I wouldn’t call myself chaste. (I can hear my friends guffaw.) Pleasure brings me no shame. Books gave me strength to be
Kristen Millares Young reflects on the expectations placed upon her as a woman and mother throughout her life. Raised by an ambitious and critical Abuela, she faces pressure to conform to societal norms of marriage and fertility. Despite her own experiences and desires, she must continually justify her choices to those who fear she may not fit the traditional mold.
Young's search for autonomy and self-definition leads her to explore the ancient figure of Cybele, the Great Mother Goddess, as a symbol of her own yearning for control over her own body and future. Her journey takes her to Delphi, where she connects with the ancient practices and beliefs surrounding this powerful deity. Through her research and personal story, Young aims to dismantle the societal constructs that demand women to be sacrificed to the perpetual quest for motherhood and marriage, ultimately championing the right to rule her own body on her own terms.
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