A possession is something you own or that belongs to you. It can also mean the state of having control over something, or in a spiritual sense, being taken over by a spirit.
“Possession” comes from Latin *possessio*, “act of possessing, property,” from *possidēre*, “to possess.” It originally focused on legal ownership before spreading to emotional and supernatural uses.
We often say “my possessions” and think of stuff, but the idea is really about control and power. That’s why the same word describes both having a house and a demon taking over a person in a horror movie.
Historically, women and children were often treated legally and socially as possessions of male heads of household. Language of possession has reinforced unequal power dynamics in marriage, labor, and colonial contexts.
Avoid describing people as possessions; use relational terms (partner, colleague, child) rather than 'my' in a controlling sense when autonomy is at issue.
["ownership","property","control","belongings"]
When discussing historical laws of possession, highlight women’s struggles to gain legal personhood and property rights.
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