HIStory & REputation
GENESIS: HOLD UP?
First up, literally, we have Eve. You know, of Adam and Eve. Eve, caught a bad reputation, and wait for it - was blamed for the entire fall of man. But, women have progressed so much, that Neate, of The Guardian, reports, "There is not a single country where women are paid as much as men." The Bible, is the most widely read book in the world. Add to this how this story, helped to influence the masses, and played a pivotal role in shaping the identity of not only Eve, but the collective identity of women in general.
Next, we have the women of The Salem Witch Trials, who offered an alternate to the traditional church, which was dominated by men and perceived as a threat to perhaps, profits. While, there were men executed during "The Salem Witch Trials," the identity associated with the phrase "Evil Witch," has negative connotations, that wait for it - are attached to a predominately female gender.
BRAND MARKETING: THE SCARLET LETTER
Lastly, let's follow the common theme of a genuine hatred of women going with "The Scarlet Letter." Miller, of The Guardian reports, "A better parallel to “witch” is the word "whore." Both are time-honored tools for policing women, meant to shame them into socially prescribed behavior. A whore transgresses norms of female sexuality; a witch transgresses norms of female power."
Blakemore mentions, "Whatever the cause, mass hysteria—a collective phenomenon in which a group experiences delusions, fear and perceived threat—seems to have been part of the mix."
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