Witch

     Look beyond the stereotype of an evil woman in black and think about why this character was invented.  Fairy tales and folklore paint a picture of an old, unattractive woman living on the fringes of society who was accused of using magical powers.  People were leery of an independent woman who didn't fit in with patriarchal religious groups.
     From Eve to Hester Prynne, women have been accused of being influenced by the devil when they didn't abide by "the rules."  Today, we still are unsure about women who dare to live a nontraditional lifestyle or don't conform to what we think is proper.  We may not call them witches; we think we are too evolved for that.  But, when a woman is strong, powerful, and independent, we use another term that rhymes with witch.
     You would think after all these years of women's lib, men and women could welcome the same positive traits in both sexes; however, we still give more honor to the traditional stereotypes.  Many men want the little woman to cater to his needs, and some woman feel more feminine doing so.
     Ding, dong, the witch is dead.  We know that is all make-believe, but some women still get labeled with that rhyming word.