Hallows Everyday - 5

Well, we are prepping for Hurricane Matthew in my area so I will try to keep up the posts as best as I can. May we all be safe!

How Witches Are Portrayed

A favorite collection of mine is my images of vintage witches. We have average-looking women, real women, from the Victorian and Edwardian eras. Later, the witch turns into a Playboy Barbie, which is what I see in a lot of modern artist's renditions - totally unrealistic and truly insulting to women. I'll go with these vintage images (and none of them were likely practicing witchcraft) anytime as opposed to the garter belts and stocking with the boobs hanging out.

Do I sound old-fashioned, bitter? I'm not. I just think that if you want the world to accept witchcraft as a religion (personally I don't care what the rest of the world thinks as long as they leave us be) and you use the following images to represent yourself, you lose credibility. People do see these as representations of what witches are. Of course, I'm a Dianic Feminist witch so my ideas are different than the average Wiccan or eclectic witch.

Or this:

Why would anyone take people who call themselves witches seriously when they portray themselves in this way? Fun images are fine, but a lot of the art out there doesn't help those who want witches taken seriously - IMO - and only my opinion.

And the word evil is used to describe the above green-skinned witch, of course. Then we have the nasty, old, evil witch image - yuck! Old women - disrespected and made the brunt of the worst depictions.

Here's my idea of a real witch:

Think about it - how do you want, if you care, others to see witches? Not that I am not up for a little fun with images, there is some great witchy art out there, humorous and loving. But... there are people out there who buy into the wicked witch as truth. So, just my two shekels.

Blessings dark and deep! 

Happy International Women's Day

Happy International Women's Day!

Blessings to us all.

We are

powerful, beautiful, intelligent, strong

women! Every one of us!

Blessings nine!

Well???

Blessings Nine!

Democratic Women Boycott House Contraception Hearing After Republicans Prevent Women From Testifying | Truthout

Please read!

Democratic Women Boycott House Contraception Hearing After Republicans Prevent Women From Testifying | Truthout

Blessings nine!

March - Women's History Month

Take this link over to the Folkways Notebook blog for an interesting post about the Women's Land Army during the Great War (WW 1) and a YouTube video about women's history month.


http://folkwaysnotebook.blogspot.com/2011/03/women-take-over-farm-work.html

Blessings nine!

Women Born Women vs Transgender Women?

Morgan le Fay by Frederick Sandys

Put on your raincoats, the shit will now hit the fan!


Pagans, although they preach otherwise, are just like everyone else. They have their prejudices the same as any other religious group. They speak of other groups with disrespect and a holier than thou attitude - not everyone, but enough to make a big deal out of small potatoes.

The latest issue - and believe me, it is nothing new despite what some Pagans may think, is the bashing of Dianic Feminist Witches who exclude transgender people from their women's groups. Not all Dianics have the stipulation of women-born women only in their groups, but quite a few do. Most, if not all, co-ed Pagan groups welcome transgender people with open arms so it isn't an issue of there are no groups for transgender people. And, let me state for the record, I do not know any Dianic Feminist witches who hate transgender people.

Transgender folks have suffered a great deal, personally and as a group. The pain and anguish that they experience is something I cannot imagine. However, as a woman, I have experienced my own pain at the hands of men, specifically date rape by an individual I had complete trust in, disrespect, harassment, discrimination, in addition to the usual growing pains of being female. A transgender woman who grew up male has not experienced those feelings - other feelings just as painful, but NOT the experience of being and growing up female in a patriarchal society. Many women, not all of course, who choose women born women's groups have suffered rape, incest and other abuse. They find solace and a safe place within a Dianic group. Sometimes, women just want to share their female experiences and the mysteries of the Goddesses they are dedicated to without men around, very simple, just like any other women's gathering where they want to be with "just the girls.". 

The fact that I support women-born women spiritual groups places me with those women who are now being called, among many horrid and disrespectful names, bigot. These are the same individuals who consider themselves to be openminded, compassionate and tolerant of all - and these people are not just males, but females too and the majority not even transgender. To me, this shows that they have the same mentality as many other religious organizations - my way is the only way, if you don't follow my beliefs than you are ________ fill in the blank. The vicious comments and name calling is shameful, but it is the Dianic women who are being treated horribly, not the transgender people - I guess that's OK though. Hey folks - read your comments. REALLY? That's how you feel because some women want to practice as they see fit? Who made you the law? Do we now have witch police? 

In the groups I practice with, if we choose to have women-born women only, that's our business. You don't like it? Find another group - there are plenty. Many people turned to Paganism because they didn't want some so called authority to tell them how to practice their spiritual path. So Dianic bashers and name callers, what are you doing? What are you thinking? And what, with the comments you are spewing, makes you think you are any more tolerant?

If you don't like the way I practice my spiritual path or the many women who choose a similar path, keep this in mind - you don't have to, it's not your business, we don't need your permission for anything, so  tend to your own garden. We are not telling you how to practice. This doesn't just apply to women's groups, but all Pagan groups. If you are one  of the many haters of Dianics out there, making fun of us, name calling and attacking those women who choose women born women only groups, go stand in front of a mirror and look at your OWN ugliness and bigotry. If you don't want someone telling you how to conduct your own spiritual practice, then perhaps you should stop doing just that to others. We don't have to all agree, but we do have to respect the right of each person to practice the craft as one chooses.

I saw some, although very little, support out their for us, from some who surprised me and I was delighted. I also have received some, let's call it what it is, hate mail - I guess that too is OK for these openminded bashers. A few months back, one of the women who read my blog applied to join my Yahoo group. One of the questions we ask on our application is "Are you a woman-born woman?" The woman applying has a best friend who is a transgender woman and resented the question. She called me a bigot and implied I was a hateful person. She and her friend would no longer read my blog. I responded politely that I was not a bigot, just making a safe place for women and she was free to read or not read whatever she chose. And, if some reading this decide they will no longer read what I write because of my support for women born women groups, well, that's your choice. I am not sorry for my beliefs or practices and really, I don't owe anyone an explanation, but I chose to write about it here, freely. There are male mysteries groups, no one is attacking them. There are many groups with specific membership guidelines and do not allow everyone who applies to join, no one is attacking them. But Dianics have dealt with this for a long time, if not the woman born woman issue, then just the fact that we practice a goddess only path. Do we care? No, we do what women have always done… we keep at it, we fight for our rights; out loud or under ground, we just keep doing what we do.

The bashers/haters need to look at themselves, as I said above. Dianics are not going anywhere, nor are others going to change the way we practice our spirituality. If you don't like what we do, you are free to go your own way and we are the first ones to say, yeah, do it!

Blessings nine! 

"We Won't Go Back" featuring Lisa Edelstein

Each woman should choose for herself - not men in Washington, DC, who preach about morality while they are screwing around on their wives. If you don't believe in abortion, then don't have one, but don't try to make the decision for another. 


Blessings nine!

Redefining Rape?

I was informed of this by Z Budapest on Facebook. It is appalling to think there are those in congress who wish to redefine rape.  

A far-reaching anti-choice bill, introduced by Republican Chris Smith and supported by 173 members of the House, includes a provision that could redefine rape in the realm of federal funding for reproductive health care.

Right now, federal dollars can't be used for abortion except in cases of rape, incest, or when the woman's life is in danger. But the Smith bill would narrow that use to "cases of 'forcible' rape but not statutory or coerced rape."

As far too many women know, bruises and broken bones do not define rape - a lack of consent does. Please sign the petition today.

A compiled petition with your individual comment will be presented to your Senators and Representative.

Click on this link to show your opposition:  
http://pol.moveon.org/smithbill/?rc=fb.share.smithbill.1.2.taf.alt.fb.ads.ck.sb.JK.aut2.a1


Go here to read about the bill and the removal of the forcible rape provision of the bill. 
http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/01/republican-plan-redefine-rape-abortion


If Chris Smith were to succeed with his agenda, it means a man could drug a woman, rape her and not face rape charges. All of this to limit Medicaid  paying for abortions in the cases of rape and incest. A sneaky Chris Smith attempting to limit women's right to choose. Does he have daughters? What is he thinking?


Whatever your opinion about abortion, this is NOT about abortion. Redefining rape harms ALL women and takes us back to a time when women who were raped were repeatedly raped again and again by police and the justice system. Rape is not about sex, it is about power over. Chris Smith seems to want power over women - what does that mean to you?


Blessings nine!

International Women's Day

WOMEN 

 Wonderful, observant, magnificent, extraordinary, noble!

Be who you are! 

Be proud of who you are! 

Know you are powerful, wise and capable of anything!

To all women everywhere:

Blessings Nine!

Blog for Choice

Today marks the 37th anniversary of Roe vs. Wade. While we've come a long way, there are still people who think women do not have the right to decide about their own reproductive health. There are still politicians and men who want to decide for us. Whatever one's opinion about abortion and birth control, each of us should be able to make our own decision, in peace, without harassment and violence .

Oh, gather ye now one and all

No what matter what all ye may do

Where the stars fill your soul

When the moon cradles all

So to yourself be true.

( from the movie Tinkerbell)

Blessings nine