in her customary position as the woman colleague with whom the
men felt most comfortable.
The story of Arachne (the weaver who was turned into a spider
by Athena for daring to make public Zeus’s seductions and rapes)
is another myth with contemporary parallels. A student or secretary
may file a complaint of sexual harassment against her professor or
employer. Or a daughter may uncover incest in the family and draw
adverse attention to the behavior of her (often prominent) father.
Or a patient may report that her psychiatrist has acted unethically
by having sexual relations with her. Such a woman, like Arachne,
is a “nobody” who exposes the behavior of a powerful man who in
private takes advantage of his dominant position to sexually intim-
idate, seduce, or overwhelm vulnerable women.
An Athena woman is often angry at the woman who complains,
rather that at the man against whom the complaint is made. She
may blame the female victim for provoking what happened. Or,
more typically, like the goddess herself, she is incensed that the
woman would make public an action that subjects the man to criti-
cism.
Feminists react in anger to successful Athena career women who
on the one hand take status quo, patriarchal positions on political
issues involving women, and who on the other hand appear to derive
the most benefits from the women’s movements’ influence on edu-
cation, opportunities, and advancement. The first woman to gain
entry or recognition in a male-dominated situation often is a woman
feminists describe as a “Queen Bee.” Such women do not help their
“sisters” get ahead. In fact, they may make general advancement
more difficult.
RELATIONSHIPS WITH MEN: ONLY HEROES NEED APPLY
The Athena woman gravitates toward successful men. In college,
she was drawn to the star in the department. In business, she is at-
tracted to the man on the rise who will one day head the corporation.
She has a canny ability to spot winners. She is attracted to power,
either seeking it herself—often with the help of a successful older
male mentor—or more traditionally, as a companion, wife, executive
secretary, or ally of
Athena: Goddess of Wisdom Growing beyond the confining