Many of us are "out"—visible, vocal, and open—and many of us are still invisible, still hidden. Even as we step out to be seen, heard, and witnessed, we must also honor those who cannot make that choice, those who remain hidden out of dire, even mortal, necessity. Read more
Perhaps most telling is that, whenever I try to explain to someone what it's like to see the world through fey, enchanted eyes, I find myself sounding more like an Edward Ka-Spel song than is comfortable, for me or for my conversation partner. Read more
If we assume Valiente is the author of the Charge, she is clearly allowed some latitude in the interpretation of her work, and while she herself initially held to a heterosexist interpretation of the Wiccan magicosexual ethic, she later abjured this position quite decisively, Read more
Witchcraft is inherently queer, deriving much of its power from its transgressive queerness, and any attempt to deny its intrinsic queerness is ultimately a attempt to divest it of power. Read more
What these artists share in common is the glimmering thread of mystery and magic shot through the fabric of their music. In some cases, that magic is overt and explicit, impossible to miss. In others, it's a knowing nod and a wink, a subtle layer of context for the careful listener. Read more
The imminent arrival of the Autumnal Equinox makes this as good a time as any to confess that I’ve never felt any particular attachment to the “Wheel of the Year.” Am I a bad witch? Or am I thinking about this from the wrong perspective? Read more
If, after a careful examination of both our traditions and our consciences, we come to the conclusion that gender is an inextricable religious value inherent to our praxis, I want us to be honest about what that means, both practically and philosophically. Read more
If she was telling the truth—if there really were druids and witches and magicians still kicking around at the tail end of the 20th century—then everything I thought I knew about history, mythology, and religion was a tower of lies. Read more
Gender essentialism isn't a Wiccan problem, nor even a Pagan problem. It's a human problem, one which plays out in every culture that buys into its assumptions. Read more
Pagans and polytheists like to think we're free from gender-based bigotry, but are we really? Let's start digging into our problems with gender essentialism with the help of... a right-wing Catholic blogger? Read more
Outside the Charmed Circle
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