I think they haven't actually fully realised that Paganism is a world-wide thing, as in *every country in the world* has a Pagan background, and the history of humanity goes back to at least 50,000 years, as communities evolved by learning from Nature, observing, exploring and experimenting with the elements around them and the interrelations between themselves, plants, animals and the seasons... Also interacting, with other communities, sometimes leading to growth, sometimes to destruction... But always, always understanding more about themselves and the world around them through that process of evolution... That is where Paganism comes from and that's why so many people choose it as their path...
Fighting over who's right in how a ritual is done, or how a particular God or Goddess is expressed is completely redundant, as even if that's how it was done back then for the specific tribe's original reason, the context of that belief has changed completely, and even though as a witch I do believe that some things require very specific elements or combinations (Moon cycle, herbs, use of Archetypal energies or symbols, even manifestation through words), we need to remember that so much of our knowledge of the world comes from the scientific discoveries that those first shamans, healers, hedgewitches, etc. of old began to explore and document to begin with... Back when they began they had no real knowledge of atoms or bacteria or chromosomes. Yes, we owe it to them to have given us the privilege and possibility to explore our own natural cycles, out Femininity and our Masculinity, the forces that interact around us to help us understand the physical world, etc... But if any of that is going to blind us to science, then what's the point!
To begin with, in all the different spiritual paths of humanity that are considered Pagan there has been an understanding of the Masculine and the Feminine within each and every one of us, and quite a lot of the tribes formally acknowledged that there were individuals that did not fit into man or woman kind of category. There is a natural flow between Masculine and Feminine, and the biological aspects of human reproduction have to do with specific organs and their attributes, but not necessarily with Femininity and Masculinity as constructs. There's so much that so many of us still need to learn and understand about how the body works, but using that lack of understanding to justify sexist and transphobic views in the name of Paganism is not okay...
Fortunately, I live in a community where more and more people are understanding these subjects, and as both my husband and a friend who is also a former May King pointed out, along with many friends of every gender and different traditions, the embodiment of the Masculine and Feminine are the magical thing in itself, regardless of who is embodying what. In general terms, Glastonbury is very inclusive and our celebrations all year-round tend to be open and welcoming - and people call out those who aren't. For the Beltane Celebrations specifically we have a beautiful motto that goes "Owned by none and enjoyed by all". And that, my friends, is Paganism 101.
Paganism aside, I genuinely feel like all of these altercations come from a general fear of sexuality, and that without that there wouldn't even be a discussion about who is what and why... I have attempted to write an entry about that, but was attacked just at the mere mention of it a while back. I feel, going back to the original subject, that a fear of sexuality does not fit in Paganism, as it goes well against everything that Paganism stands, and has always stood, for. By understanding what sexuality really is, and seeing it as normal, I feel, much of today's gender issues could be resolved.
I have already written an entry regarding Femeninity, and I will probably write another one on the matter at some point soon, and also one on Masculinity. It goes without saying that trans women and trans men will be included, too.
This is a picture from a statue my husband and I have in our lounge, by the way, and yes, we both feel proud of being each other's ideal of the Masculine and Feminine, but we don't condone other people telling others who or what they're supposed to be.
Joyful path to all you dear readers, and see you next time!
Sandra Cole ~ Actress, Model, Writer, Witch.
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