Babou: Post-Menopausal Women in Greek Mythology

Baubo is one of many wild Grecian goddesses of sacred sexuality, the Crone- a wise old woman who is full of irreverent joy and comically lewd behavior. She has been called the belly goddess of laughter and obscenity, a refreshing contrast to contemporary images of old age. Baubo also represents three aspects of women's lives: sexuality, old age and transformative personal power though sexual liberation. Instead of an old woman ravaged by time with nothing about her that is remotely sexual, Baubo radiates her Crone sexual energy with a functioning postmenopausal orgasmic vulva! This concept upsets all societies that scorn or totally deny older women's sexuality.

In the Greek myth of Demeter, the goddess of agriculture turns the earth barren after her daughter Persephone is abducted by Hades, god of the underworld. Baubo appears as a compassionate healer with the wisdom to understand Demeter's need to break free of her depression as she mourns the loss of her daughter. While Baubo begins to dance around the goddess, she lifts her skirt and flashes her old cunt sending Demeter into peals of belly laughter. Once Demeter gets a little distance from her sorrow, the affirmation of joy and laughter lifts her depression and the crops begin to grow again. Baubo's image is especially important for all postmenopausal women who mourn the loss of their youthful fertile selves. She reminds us to relish sex, love, and laughter into our old age.

For over forty years I've summoned Baubo's energy using bawdy humor and laughter to help women break through feelings of shyness, sexual guilt and concerns about being "normal" because they can't have vaginal orgasms and have never seen their own clitorises and have never masturbated. Or their vulvas don't look like the latest porn star that's been surgically altered by reducing her inner labia among numerous other cosmetic changes. Laughter changes a woman's frame of mind and at that point, she can receive new information about her body, her genitals, and her sexuality. It's an honor to be Baubo Betty. My Halloween costume was a skirt with no underwear. As I greeted my guests at the front door, I introduced Baubo Betty, the belly goddess of laughter and obscenity. Then I lift my skirt to flash old pussy! What a great way to start my Halloween party!

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