Celibacy |
Most historians writing about the female warriors mention that they were reportedly celibate. However, the level to which that celibacy was enforced remains a topic of debate. In Dahomey, the goal in life for a girl was children and marriage. To go against that was against societal expectations. “Motherhood was the female norm, children were the ultimate blessing. Female bachelorhood was a weird notion, barrenness a tragedy if not a disgrace, and a childless wife an object of pity if not scorn.”[1] Giving up the idea of motherhood and marriage was an extremely difficult thing for the new female warrior recruits who were native born. Nothing would truly replace what they were giving up to become a soldier.[2] The reality is that the warriors were not celibate. Relative to the thousands who served in the army, only a few broke their vow.[3] If a warrior fell pregnant the punishment could be banishment, imprisonment or leading the army in a battle, so that she could be the first to die. Sometimes the king ordered a pregnant warrior’s death. If women were to be executed, it was done by the female officers in private.[4]
It was mandatory for the soldiers to be celibate until they approached middle-age and or left the military.[5] Some women took an oral contraceptive to prevent pregnancy and of those who were caught only a handful were executed for the offense.[6] Scholars agree that celibacy was a goal for the warriors and was seemingly upheld by many, but it was often broken for official or unofficial reasons. The state had control over their celibacy.[7] However, the vows of celibacy were often broken.[8] Being celibate, did not also mean being a virgin, as many of the women recruited were once married. This especially applies if they were taken from a neighboring village.[9] |