Interestingly enough, I am taking a Greek and Roman Mythology class this semester. I am enjoying it so far, and it was the reason I decided to write this article.
When I was in seventh grade, we had a Greek God and Goddess unit in reading class. We were tasked with picking a Greek God or Goddess, and I happened to pick Aphrodite. Aphrodite is the goddess of love, beauty, pleasure, passion, desire, and procreation. I have always had a strange connection with Aphrodite since that project.
I thought I could relate to her, but I was wrong. I am more like Artemis. I never would have thought that my personality is more like Artemis, but I took a quiz to see what god or goddess I am most like, and Artemis was what I got.
Artemis is the goddess of the hunt, wild nature, wild animals, the moon, and chastity. “The Child of Zeus, the tireless Huntress Artemis sleeping…what time her feet forwearied are with following lions with her flying shafts over the hills far-stretching.” — Antoninus Liberalis, Metamorphoses.
Hunting has always made my stomach churn. I could not kill an animal if my life depended on it. I do not like seeing animals being harmed in any way, shape, or form.
One of the two things that she is the goddess of, I can really relate to. The first being the goddess of wild nature and animals. Like I have said before, I hate seeing animals being harmed. Even though I cannot go into a forest or woods because I am scared, I still love nature and the peace it brings me. I have always enjoyed being out in nature when I know it is safe.
The second one is the goddess of the moon and its cyclical phases. This can also mean that she is the goddess of change and transition. I have personally changed over the course of my life. I went from a girl who identified as straight and cisgender to a person who identified as pansexual and non-binary. I was shy, and now I try to be more outgoing and social.
After further research, ancient gay and lesbian Greeks worshipped her as a symbol of the LGBTQ+ community. Obviously, that stood out to me because of my queer identity, and my passion to help others who went through what I did.
Even though I deny that I am like Artemis, I am going to try and embrace it. I know that it will be hard to adjust to what I thought to be true when I thought I could relate to Aphrodite.