Banner Greenham

Blue Gate
1989-1994

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THE RIVER Growing Flowing down to THE SEA
Page 6 by Elizabeth Abraham

'values; where people feel 'at home' and the personal values of nature and nurture are primary. This element of 'home' at the heart of things is. therefore always feminist, and men are happy for this to be so - indeed it is what they crave for.

It is the mistress of the house who sets the household scene.

The definition of this word Mistress is so revealing that I must give it in full:*

Firstly
1/ (a) A woman in a position of power and authority.
(b) A female head of a household.

And then:
2/ A woman who has achieved mastery (sic) of a subject or skill.
3/ Something personified as female that rules or directs

Then, asserting the Male even over the word that asserts the female:

4/ A woman with whom a man has a continuing sexual relationship outside marriage.
5/ (Chiefly British) a school mistress

Finally, how archaic:
6/ A sweetheart.

And then summing up the whole of herstory.
7/ Used archaically as a title preceding the name of a woman and now superceded by Mrs, Miss and M/s.

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