Thread by @monaeltahawy

Nine years ago exactly, she found me when I most needed to be found. It was my first trip after the casts on my arms had come off. I’d vowed I’d gift myself tattoos after my bones healed but I didn’t know of what. And then during a lecture tour of Italy, Sekhmet found me in Turin

And a few weeks later, she became my first tattoo

Getting Sekhmet tattooed on my arm was part of what I call Deliberate Beauty. I explain feministgiant.com/p/deliberate-b…

“In this hall, there are 16 statues of Sekhmet, the ancient Egyptian goddess of retribution and sex,” the director of the Egyptian Museum in Turin said exactly 9yrs ago.

You had me at retribution and sex! Yes. Please. Both! And I returned with Sekhmet on my arm 📷 @rerutled

There are more statues built of Sekhmet than any other ancient Egyptian god or goddess because she was the most feared and revered. So I am sure I had encountered her before. But there is encountering and there is being found and she found me in March 2012 when I needed power.

I wrote a poem about Sekhmet. I am not a poet but my assault and my broken heart needed the embrace of poetry, and I am proud that some have called Sekhmet’s Tits pornographic. feministgiant.com/p/sekhmets-tit…

That hall in the Egyptian Museum in Turin really does have 16 statues of Sekhmet. I visit her in every museum that holds hostage my people’s plundered heritage. She tells me to stand in my power. I promise her she will go home one day. 📷 @rerutled

Ancient Egypt and the power of the goddess on my right arm. The courage and resilience of revolution rendered in the beautiful letters of Arabic on my left arm. Forever mine. Never to be taken. My mother goddess on one arm. My mother tongue on the other.

Ancient Egypt has been solace and healing recently - whether it’s eyeliner and joy

https://twitter.com/monaeltahawy/status/1371602906458296327

Or hair and power

https://twitter.com/monaeltahawy/status/1363190703921258496