No problem with the rant- I understand completely. In fact, the thinly veiled misandry and 'blood, babies and breastfeeding' stuff was what finally disconnected me from a lot of the more radically feminist side of Wicca, and ultimately leave it behind. It was very offputting to be told by certain women that only women who had kids could truly be 'close to the Goddess'. What about people who can't bear children? Too bad, I was told. I would always be 'incomplete'. Funny, I didn't feel incomplete, but I did feel insulted- outraged, even. Female chauvinists- whooda thunk?
It was a strange thing- I was the 'wrong sort' of female to certain women, and merely 'female' to certian men- definitely a no-win situation. I embarked for a while on the Path of the Hermit, but that didn't work for me, either. I'm a Magus, not a Hermit. Mages solve problems, they don't sit and sulk in solitude. I got over it, and continued my Work, crankier, but wiser.
So, what can be done? Create a new level of interaction, perhaps- one that is inclusive rather than exclusive. Value people for what they bring into the Current, not what they ought to be according to some obsolete manual of gender -or practice- rules. Take people as individuals and skill sets and Teachers, and work from there. That inclusiveness and edge-dweller outreach and synthesis/syncretism become a major thread of my own Work, and my gender-neutral name is part of that idea. Perhaps remaining silent is something I should also leave behind, if I want to help bust out of the predetermined box we've been placed in, and help others through the wall to the other side.
Thank you for welcoming me here. This seems to be a place with a decent vibe. And one thing I've learned about secrets is that they can hide in plain sight. Those with eyes to see and ears to hear... and minds to grasp it- will figure it out. |
