In My Zipporah Era

This may become a series in which I explore biblical stories. I use the Bible not as a holy text, but as a collection of stories. When the religious framing is removed, we allow ourselves to play—to interpret, to question, to see ourselves reflected in the characters rather than using it as a dogmatic rulebook to control other people.

If you already know what Sephora is, and its connection to Zipporah, great. If you’re here to understand what I mean when I say I’m in my Zipporah era, then keep reading.

I’m wearing a Sephora liquid matte lipstick in shade 26, a long-lasting liquid lip color from the Sephora Beauty Collection.

According to the online beauty magazine Byrdie, Sephora’s name is a portmanteau of the Greek word sapphō, meaning “beautiful,” and Zipporah from the Bible. For those who haven’t seen The Prince of Egypt, Zipporah is depicted as an Israelite living during a time when her people were enslaved by the Egyptians.

The origin of Sephora’s name matters to me because of how I relate to Zipporah’s story: I am in a land that is not my own, and I know what it feels like to be treated poorly simply because I am not part of “their” people. “Their” being s stand in for race, sometimes gender, country of origin, temperament, belief system.

The Prince of Egypt suggests that Zipporah was kidnapped and forced to perform to entertain the Egyptians. I won’t go into detail, but I recognize that feeling: living among people who are not your own, who expect performance under the threat—or implication—of control. Sara Baartman represents a history in which women were captured, publicly humiliated, and yet still gazed upon for their beauty.

I also want to note that this story unfolds in Egypt, in North Africa. In that way, I feel connected to Zipporah through life stage, through beauty and self-presentation, and through geography. A quick perusal of the NIV and King James versions of the Bible doesn’t fully support the film’s interpretation. Nevertheless, the movie’s additions are useful. They offer a framework for thinking about power, displacement, and womanhood in ways that feel emotionally true, even if they aren’t true to the biblical text.

My Engagement Ring and temporary wedding band.

I’m also navigating a particular season in my own life: My (almost) husband is at the beginning of an incredible career. He has earned his PhD in Earth Sciences from a world-renowned university—where we met. While his degree is his, I consider his work to be our work. I sincerely believe that my role right now is to support him using my natural talents: creating a beautiful home, cooking, cleaning efficiently, and taking care of myself by exercising, eating well, and—yes—getting better at makeup and outfit creation.

At the moment, we are living with his mother. In Nguni culture, it is customary for a newly married couple to live with the husband’s mother. At its worst, this tradition can be used to bully the new makoti (bride), making her feel as though she exists only to serve her husband. At its best, it is meant to teach the bride who her husband is and where he comes from. Conner has come to my home and seen where I come from. In coming to south Africa for two months he has genuinely shown me how much he cares about learning all of who I am.

I genuinely feel that I have much to learn from his mother, especially in how she has managed her household. This, too, feels like part of my Zipporah era: learning, observing, and refining myself within a structure that is older and larger than me.

Sources:

Byrdie

Bible Gateway

Prince of Egypt