What is a She Legend?

The term legend traces back to the medieval Latin legendarius, meaning “pertaining to legends.” The root word, legenda, originally referred to “things to be read,” especially stories about the lives of saints and figures from the past. Over time, it came to mean a narrative or tale that preserves history and memory—even if that truth can’t always be verified.

For centuries, the telling of history, (and legends) was largely in the hands of men, who, intentionally or not, focused on male perspectives and achievements.

This left the stories and accomplishments of countless women overlooked, underrepresented, or erased altogether. As a result, the full scope of women’s influence on society, culture, and politics has often gone unacknowledged.

While some legends, like Lady Godiva, are so familiar that we rarely pause to consider them as legends at all, many others are stories of brave, bold, and powerful women—women who should be household names, but who were written out of history simply because they were not men.

The legend of Lady Godiva itself has been shaped and sexualised by patriarchal interpretations, focusing more on her nudity and less on her courage, compassion, and act of protest. Her story—and others like it—reminds us how easily women’s deeds can be reframed or diminished by male-dominated historical narratives, which is why we the concept of She Legends is built around the importance of actively reclaiming and honouring these untold stories.

These stories carry the vital, hidden influences of women in shaping societies and cultures, even when the truth isn’t easily confirmed.

Whether told around a fire, recorded in ancient texts, or explored through modern research, She Legends remind us that history has as many untold stories of brave, wise, and powerful women as it does of men.

Our retreats seek to actively reclaim space for women’s achievements, struggles, and leadership, inspiring new generations to question received narratives and see heroines where history overlooked them. By restoring these stories, we honour the women and deities who shaped our world and recognise the ongoing importance of including diverse female perspectives in our collective memory.