Behold: The New Seven Deadly Sins

Because the old ones are dumb

Raquel Welch as Lust in the 1960s movie “Bedazzled” from “Raquel Welch’s Best Movie Roles”

When I was a young woman I saw a funny movie called Bedazzled in which Raquel Welch played Lust, one of the Seven Deadly Sins. It was my first exposure to the Sins, which were written by Tertullian in the 100s, so could rightfully be called the original listicle. That old Tert sure knew how to attract attention! The original Seven Deadly Sins included pride, greed, wrath, envy, lust, gluttony, and sloth — to which I say, Huh?

It’s clearly time to update this super innocuous list. I propose the following.

1. Child Marriage

“Marriage before the age of 18 is a violation of fundamental human rights,” according to UNICEF. It’s also the basis for much of society’s destructive prejudice against women which characterizes them as foolish and in need of male guardians (aka prison guards); in 2017, child marriage was officially recognized as a form of slavery, as I learned in this eye-opening story by Elle Beau ❇︎. Why did it take so long to figure that out?

Child marriage often compromises a girl’s development by resulting in early pregnancy and social isolation, interrupting her schooling, limiting her opportunities for career and vocational advancement and placing her at risk of domestic violence. — UNICEF