Artemis 

doesn’t actually care

if you’re celibate.

 

She protects virgin girls, yes,

but also women

(and men)

who have sex all the time.

 

She was born

in an era

where human women had

little to no autonomy.

 

Her purpose

is to promote gender equality,

in all of its forms.

 

As we have evolved,

so has she.

 

She was there

at the ratification

of the Nineteenth Amendment,

and at Sandra Day O’Connor’s confirmation,

and at the first Women’s March.

 

She understands

that the goalposts

have been moved.

 

In Ancient Greece,

the dream of running away to stay single

was most women’s only chance

at freedom from the patriarchy.

 

Now,

many women can marry for love,

or not at all,

and become creators,

and performers,

and leaders.

 

Artemis loves these advances,

brought to us

by hard-working, brave, fearless women.

 

She looks forward to watching

the next wave of justice

crash over the heads

of misogynists around the world.

 

As long as you are

an intersectional feminist,

she loves you too.