Ride with Pride!

LGBTQ+ Pride Month is currently celebrated each year in the month of June to honor the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan. The Stonewall Uprising was a tipping point for the Gay Liberation Movement in the United States. In the United States the last Sunday in June was initially celebrated as “Gay Pride Day,” but the actual day was flexible. In major cities across the nation the “day” soon grew to encompass a month-long series of events. Today, celebrations include pride parades, picnics, parties, workshops, symposia and concerts, and LGBTQ Pride Month events attract millions of participants around the world. Memorials are held during this month for those members of the community who have been lost to hate crimes or HIV/AIDS. The purpose of the commemorative month is to recognize the impact that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals have had on history locally, nationally, and internationally.

For more information about the history of Pride Month, click here.

In my experiences, the pagan community is usually quite inclusive of the LGBTQ+ community and many members of that community are also practitioners themselves. LGBTQ+ individuals comprise a much larger percentage of the population in neopagan circles than larger, mainstream religious populations. Paganism and witchcraft have no central or governing body. Much of our practice is considered ‘neo’ or new due to a revival of the old traditions be it herbalism, Nordic traditions, Wiccan, and many others. This means it is up to individual traditions, leaders, and practitioners to find ways to embrace the LGBTQ+ community, to initiate dialogue, and implement change as needed. While the ancient culture itself may have LGBTQ+ aversions at the time the culture was at its peak, the same can be said for all cultures and religions of today. There are some popular neopagan traditions which have beliefs often in conflict with the LGBT community, and there are also traditions accepting of, created by, or led by LGBTQ+ individuals. Adaptation is difficult but not impossible.

Obviously, no community is perfect and our community has many of the same challenges that other religious communities face, but I feel that, in my experiences, we are usually quite inclusive and respectful of members who identify as LGBTQ+. Despite being respectful, what can you do to help these members?

Listen to what LGBTQ+ people are saying about their experiences, especially at public events. Learn how to be an ally to the LGBTQ+ Pagans, Witches, et al. You do the work. Don’t ask them to teach you. Sometimes, they are very uncomfortable talking about their experiences with those they do not know well or it is very difficult to talk about their experiences due to the traumatizing nature of them, especially during their childhood. However, putting in the time and effort to do the research through those who are willing to talk about it will truly help you to understand the struggles and challenges they face. I am an avid reader so I also suggest reading Misha Magdalene’s book, Outside the Charmed Circle: Exploring Gender and Sexuality in Magical Practice. This book is wonderful and meant to help people find the true expression of themselves. This book is for the LGBTQ+ community and their allies.