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The cabal of witchy women represent something far more interesting.
And on the other hand, I was dumbfounded.
Surely, in his 20-something years of life, this man had met a woman who sucked?
I meet them all the time.
This was three or more years ago, and maybe hed respond differently now.
That isnt to say it hasnt been done.
It has, if less often than would be ideal.
On the surface, its a testosterone-fueled space opera.
For millennia,the Bene Gesserithave been the ones pulling the strings, ruling from the shadows.
And they kind of are, but also really arent.
Pour out some Water of Life for Beverly.
But whether theyre the brainchild of Frank or Beverly, the Bene Gesserit are certainly powerful.
(Obviously, the Herberts perpetuate a bio-essentialist, binary understanding of gender.)
The Bene Gesserit are trained in everything from hand-to-hand combat to lie detection to mind control.
Hey, its better than being burned at the stake.
They spread religious propaganda throughout the universe to make local populations more amenable to their plans.
The Bene Gesserit are not trying to change the system, not really.
Instead, they dream of taking it all for themselves and placing their special boy on the throne.
Complicated and compromised, brilliant and terrible women.
Women who have sacrificed true liberation in their lust for power over others.
Women who will go toe-to-toe with the best of them to protect their own and further their designs.
Women who have cozied up to rulers who will never truly trust them, never see them as equals.
Duneisnt painting a vision of girl power in space.
Either that, or Ill useThe Voice.
This article was originally published onNovember 2, 2021
