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and other things you didn’t know $$PLAIN_TEXT_PREVIEW$$
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Jewelry Club Weekly
Summer II .06
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Cuff History/ Black Panther Jewelry/
Creating Wonder Woman
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Learning the history of Wonder Woman’s Bracelets of Submission is a fascinating foray into human nature exposing the contradictions resident in most of us. True, the range of actions and beliefs of these individuals goes a bit beyond average; both in their beneficial contributions to our culture, and their behaviors that are outside the norm. Paradoxes are often revealed when we study great art or activism. Knowing the details of the story doesn’t diminish the impact of their work. It does let me understand how each of us has a gift to share and a personal path to follow. Somehow, knowing stories like this one reassures me that there is room for my path and my story. That’s one reason I love Jewelry Club. Researching these topics to be able to teach them is transformative. I hope you also are experiencing the same increase in clarity, inspiration, and skills. Today we look at the ties between the historic popularity of cuff bracelets, how they make you feel, and the creator of an iconic cuff-wearer. .
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Ancient Egyptian hinged cuffs believed to have belonged to the wives of Thutmose lll, who ruled Egypt for more than 50 years (Credit: Met Museum) |
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Current jewelry trend, popular since 2680 BCWhile our contemporary fascination with the cuff was sparked by designers of the 1940’s (Suzanne Belperron, Coco Chanel, Verdura), the earliest evidence for cuff wearing is by the Ancient Egyptians. Nearly every culture since, from Greeks, and Mayans, to Native Americans, adorn themselves with cuff jewelry.
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You might ask why?The return of the cuff to modern jewelry wearing coincides with the growing empowerment of women. Though cuffs are worn by all genders, it is women wearing cuffs that is the significant trend. Depicting status, power, and strength with their reference to armor, and massive surface area available for gems, cuffs convey a message to the world and the wearer. Wearing a cuff can make you feel invincible. Referring to the three elements of Emotional Design, cuffs address each equally making them an especially powerful piece of jewelry. Cuffs are Visceral in that their sheer size makes them impossible to overlook. A well-fitting cuff is a pleasure to wear, yet the weight reminds you of their power- the Behavioral component. And the cultural message expressed is Reflective of who and when they are worn. In the movie Black Panther, jewelry and body armor worn by the Dora Milaje, female bodyguards to the king, include five-inch-wide cuffs reflecting power, strength, and the African sun. The movie’s assertive jewelry telegraphs a message of confidence and deep culture which are prime reasons for all jewelry wearing, particularly cuffs. Designer Douriean Fletcher achieves her goal, for "people to feel really strong within themselves."
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Photo Marvel Studios Three stars of 'Black Panther' Danai Gurira, Lupita Nyong'o and Angela Bassett posing in their signature jewels designed by Douriean Fletcher. |
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The Bracelets of Submission
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Central to the value of Wonder Woman’s cuffs is their image of power and strength. |
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William Moulton Marston, the character’s creator, fused Greek mythology and fictional Amazon warriors to create her origin story, saying the bracelets helped control the wild fury of these woman by reminding them of the power of love. This vaguely conflicting message is just the beginning of the many dichotomies embedded in the story. Marston was highly accomplished with three degrees from Harvard including a PhD in psychology. He’d been a lawyer, a scientist, a professor, and along with his wife Elizabeth is credited with developing an early prototype of the lie detector. Marston was an outspoken feminist, and a firm believer in the superiority of women yet he had an affinity for bondage and subjugation often depicting Wonder Woman in chains (from which she always escaped.) The character he, with influence from Elizabeth, created in 1941 was intended to balance the pantheon of male superheroes and demonstrate his philosophy that powerful women are needed to save the world.
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“Frankly, Wonder Woman is psychological propaganda for the new type of woman who,
I believe, should rule the world.”
— W M Marston
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William and Elizabeth led a secret polyamorous life with Olive Byrne who is said to be the inspiration for Wonder Woman. Byrne had met William and Elizabeth when she was Marston’s student at Tufts University. In November 1931 she "married" both William and Elizabeth, wearing wide-band cuffs on each arm instead of a ring. The women each had two children, Byrne’s children were not told Marston was their father until they were adults. After Marston’s death in 1947 the two women continued living together for another 40 years. Olive’s childhood was impacted by the feminist activism of her mother, Ethel Byrne, and her aunt Margaret Sanger. Both women worked tirelessly promoting contraception, leaving Olive in the care of her grandmother. Sanger felt that for women to have an equal footing in society and to lead healthier lives, they must be able to determine when to bear children. In 1916, Margaret and Ethyl opened the first birth-control clinic in the United States. They were both arrested for the illegal distribution of contraception. In jail in 1917, Ethel Byrne went on a hunger strike and nearly died. In 1921, Sanger founded the American Birth Control League, which later became Planned Parenthood. Her legacy is tarnished by her support, later in life, for eugenics and White supremacist groups. So . . . No JudgementIt’s just interesting - these lesser-known stories about our everyday world. Hopefully your take-away is self-acceptance. On-balance try to create more positive energy / love than destruction or hate. Face Your ObstaclesWhen searching for sources of strength and courage start by looking within. Make a commitment to honor your gifts. If wearing a cuff or two reminds you to be your best bold self, then please, suit up! From my favorite Unlikely Sage:
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“I’m convinced the dreams we have for ourselves go unattained from a lack of permission more than any deficit in talent or desire. And I’m going to stress again that when I say ‘permission,’ I mean the permission we withhold or give ourselves to pursue those dreams.”
— Jeff Tweedy, How to Write One Song
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