14 REAL GODIVA: NOT A LADY NOR A TRAMP

Godiva. A woman whose reputation has been sexualized and patronized over time. But the real Godiva was no lady in the prim use of the word. Yes, the title of "lady" was used, often for the wife of the King. Her real title? I found a document she signed. Countess. A Countess willing to ignore political correctness and get naked to help the poor...to bare her body for social justice. But that gets forgotten and she gets portrayed as a brazen woman.

Why do we let people do this to women and get away with it? She was a woman whose motives of giving endured over one thousand years despite it all. Why? Because she dared to lead when it meant losing her own reputation (and possibly her marriage) to do what was right. She was a strong Catholic and risked extreme penance, ex-communication or exile.

On my first trip to England in 2016, I found a really old book at a cathedral in England. A monk from her time wrote that Godiva built churches and gave property. A woman of faith. A landowner.

She kept her power. How did she manage that?

We think women of the 21st century have it all…but she was 1,000 years ahead of us. I can learn from her!

It was actually kind of fun to approach her as a mystery. I wanted to figure her out, to understand her motivations. Not just know about her, but know her, woman to woman.

It's time to celebrate the real Countess Godiva.

VickiJolene

p.s. I love Eponia! WOW! Can I come to visit? What a family history! I’m sorry to hear about your grandmother’s dementia but so glad you have such warm memories.

#Godiva #Womeninleadership #Daretolead #realgodiva #Eponia #Domesday

#nakedjustice #socialjustice #Micah6 #LadyGodiva #Shame #Vulnerability #PowerofVulnerability #RideThruFear

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