“Belle of the West” depicts Belle Starr, aka Queen of Outlaws from 18th century Missouri. While leading her life of crime, she wore a floor length, black velvet riding habit with a large black plume in her hat. She also was a crack shot and wore belts of cartridges crisscrossed around her hips.
“Flowers, Stones” pictures the Somalian legend of Queen Arawelo from 15 ce. She was fed up with the men ruling the community who were lazy, violent, and trouble making. The story says that she led a protest to make men do the housework, castrated all the men in the village, and put women in positions of power. She has a tomb where passersby will throw various objects depending on their view of her. Men throw rocks at the tomb, women put flowers.
“Ruth’s Last Runway” portrays the last woman to be hanged in the UK, nightclub owner and hostess Ruth Ellis. She committed the crime of shooting her abusive and alcoholic husband. Showing up to court, she kept a beautifully maintained appearance. Accounts state that she had freshly dyed platinum blonde hair and appeared in a sharp black suit and white silk blouse – her lawyers wanted her to tone done her look, but she did not. She appeared indifferent throughout the proceedings.
“Quenched Thirst” represents Queen Tomyris, who ruled the Massagetae, an Iranian people from central Asia. It is said that she killed Cyrus the Great when he bested her troops by leaving behind a camp filled with wine (something that they barely drank) and slaying them after they were drunk. She said she would give him his fill of blood, and eventually did when she stuffed his head in a blood-filled wine sack.
“Ching Shih” pictures the 17th century Chinese prostitute turned pirate who at her peak, led a fleet of 800 large ships and commanded a crew of over 70 000. She had several unusual rules such as anyone giving their own orders was instantly beheaded, rapist pirates were put to death, and all booty had to be presented for group inspection prior to distribution. She was so powerful the Chinese government ceased attempts to quash the fleet and she negotiated a very generous amnesty agreement. Most of the pirates were pardoned and even attained jobs in government. She died surrounded by family at 69.
“Aqua Tofana” portrays the poison that Guilia Tofana and her daughter concocted to sell to would-be widows, some with abusive husbands. The poison was marketed as a cosmetic to avoid suspicion. Containing arsenic, lead and belladonna, it was a colorless, tasteless liquid and therefore easily mixed with water or wine to be served during meals. Death was slow, and symptoms were generic and easily confused with other illnesses.
“Carlota and Firmina” depicts two enslaved women who assisted in what would become known as the 1843 slave rebellion at the Triumvirato sugar mill. They helped devise the plot and spread information through talking drum. Firmina was caught and captured, and Carlota is said to have viciously entered battle, wielding the same machete she used to cut sugar cane to free Firmina.
“The Bandit Queen” shows Phoolan Devi, was married at 11 to an unknown man in exchange for a cow, pushed to commit suicide once she left him at 12, and became a fierce bandit queen who supported the lower castes of India. She is known for participating in the revenge killing of 22 men from the same village her rapist was from. She later became a member of the Indian parliament.
“The Gilded Warrior” portrays the legendary Ba Trieu, a 3rd century Vietnamese 19 year old who escaped into the mountain forests of the Thanh Hóa Province to sharpen her combat skills against the Chinese occupiers. She raised an army of 1000 people to rebel and eventually chose to commit suicide over being taken prisoner.
“Toregene and Fatima” represents the life story of Toregene Khatun. She was taken and gifted as a wife to Ögedei, one of Genghis Khan’s sons, after he conquered her village. She gave birth to 5 sons, and when her incompetent and alcoholic husband was suddenly made Khan, she ran things behind the scenes. Once Ögedei died, she continued her rule, prepared one of her sons to be next in line, and elevated a woman named Fatima to the status of her queen.
Bad GRRLS
“Bad GRRLS” is a series of infamous historical women portrayed through a contemporary fashion lens to tell their stories and reclaim their power.
