For some unknown reason, Athena did not punish Poseidon for the rape he committed. It could be because Poseidon was her uncle and the powerful god of the sea, which meant that technically, only Zeus could punish Poseidon for his crime. It could also have been that Athena was envious of Medusa’s beauty and the attraction that men had towards her. Whatever the exact reason, Athena turned her wrath towards Medusa and punished her by turning her into a hideous monster, with snakes growing out of her head, and a deadly stare that would immediately turn anyone to stone if they looked into her eyes.
Modern powerful and famous women have proudly worn a head full of snakes to depict power, sexuality, and the acknowledgment of their emerging role in society and politics.
*Colours here may differ slightly from the actual product due to different screen rendering for colours.