A sample of my Ethic Folder

Homosexuality and Wicca

By Robert Huneault

Is homosexuality compatible with male/female polarity?

Over the last few decades, many people have thought that the emphasis on male/female polarity in Wicca excludes homosexuals. This view is simplistic, ignorant and false. Homosexuals as well as other people live in a world populated by men and women. They are born of men and women and most are raised by a mother and a father. They do not have a problem distinguishing between male and female, nor maleness and femaleness, though many have difficulty following gender roles defined by and for heterosexuals.

Most gay men do not get married and support a wife and children. Most lesbians do not get married, clean home and raise a family. These are roles which suit a traditional heterosexual family, but they are of little use to a gay adult (although, as I have pointed out, most are raised in that environment as children.) Of course, there is more to gender roles than simply becoming mommies and daddies; there is a whole slew of behavioural patterns and ways of thinking that go with it. Many psychologists and psychiatrists have studied the minds of men and women and many have concluded that there are definite trends in both (although there are always individual exceptions.) Men tend to be more linear in their thinking, women more intuitive. Men tend to be more competitive, women seem to be more likely to want to co-operate. We can also find a difference in the anatomy of the brain. In the hypothalmus there is a small cluster of cells that seems to be linked to the sex drive. In straight males this group of cells is larger than in straight females. Interestingly, in gay males, this group of cells is smaller, in fact, it is comparable in size to that found in straight females. Unfortunately there is no information as yet on the brains of lesbians. This study gives greater weight to the argument that homosexuality is innate and not a social construct. It has also been found that there is a greater exchange between the right and left hemispheres of the brain among women than among straight men. I am told that this is also the case in gay men.

Of course this is not to say that gay men are like women, though many heterosexuals have jumped to that conclusion. Gay men cannot follow the straight male gender role, because it is not part of their nature. They cannot follow the female gender role either, as this is also not their nature. Homosexuals must either find their own gender roles or accept that they live beyond pre-defined roles. Perhaps one can see a glimpse at this gender role among flaming queens. Queens have very exaggerated gestures, sharp tongues and lots of energy. A straight friend asked me once why such men are referred to as "effeminate", since there is nothing feminine about them. Indeed he is correct — queens usually lack the grace that is natural to women (hence the gestures seem exaggerated), and they seem more crude. Perhaps the answer lies in the fact that the term "effeminate" was coined by heterosexual men. As straight men saw other men who acted differently, they labelled them as "other". However, to a straight man living in a straight male/female world, other means female, so the queer-acting man was labelled "effeminate" or woman-like. This has only led to confusion both for heterosexuals who could not understand a woman-like man, and for homosexuals who had no proper role-model to follow. Being gay, a straight model would be inadequate and, as gay role-models are hard to find, a gay youth often has to make his own path. Some will follow female role-models, but it is interesting to note that the women most often imitated by drag queens tend to be very strong, powerful women, "larger than life", and not very typical of what we usually think of as "feminine".

I propose that the male/female model that we use is, although useful, limited. It is a bit like using black/white, or summer/winter to represent the concept of polarity. White can be divided into the spectrum of the whole rainbow, and to the seasons can be added spring and fall. The human spectrum includes (though might not be limited to) straight male/bisexual male/gay male/transsexual (male to female/female to male)/gay female/bisexual female/straight female. When we look beyond the physical surface, we see that human sexuality is not so black and white. Even beyond negative and positive there are at least six flavours of quarks!

If we accept that polarity doers not refer to an either/or situation, but refers to opposite ends of a spectrum, then indeed homosexuality (and indeed all forms of sexuality) is compatible.

Can an homosexual become one of the "Hidden Children of the Goddess"?

Homosexual men approach the feminine in a manner very different from heterosexual men. Most straight men tend to be ignorant of their feminine side (their anima, if you will) for most, or all of their lives. The straight man will deal with the anima by externalizing it and projecting it onto women. He seeks to unite with the feminine by finding a female mate to balance or complete him.

The gay man on the other hand is aware from childhood that male homosexuality is associated with the feminine. While growing up, he will be aware that anyone suspected of homosexuality will be called "sissy", "fairy", "girly", and any boy who acts in a manner perceived as effeminate will be suspected of homosexuality. It is therefore unavoidable that a boy who realizes that he is homosexual will become aware that his sexuality associates him with femininity, whether that femininity is expressed or not. This connection to the feminine not only makes it possible for a gay man to relate to the Goddess, but may even make it easier.

As to being a HIDDEN child, well, that’s easy! Almost all homosexuals have spent at least a part of their lives hiding. The Craft laws tell us that in the old days it was necessary for a witch to keep his or her identity a secret to escape torture and death. To the gay child, this is the case today. A gay child who grows up in a society which considers homosexuals as deviants will grow up afraid of losing the love of his parents, siblings and friends should they discover his orientation. Such a child will know that if he comes out, he may be kicked out into the streets, or beaten up, or even killed. Homosexuals are no stranger to being hidden; it has been a means of survival. Unfortunately, remaining in the closet leads to other problems: You become lonely and depressed. This often leads to alcoholism and drug abuse, which is a form of spiritual suicide. In some cases, the closet can also lead to a more physical suicide. The best move is to emerge from the closet, be cautious, brave, hope for the best, and know that you are not alone.

Can homosexuals work magic?

Of course homosexuals can work magic. Sexual orientation has never been a barrier to this. The berdache, or two-spirited people, of many North American tribes were particularly noted for their spiritual/magical work. These people did not fit traditional male/female gender roles. These men would often dress as women, or wear something that was not generally worn by men, and would tend to perform women’s chores. They would often marry men, and were often prized as wives, for they tended to be able to do more than most women. As these people could go between the genders and beyond, they were also believed to be able to go between the world of men and that of spirits. Indeed, it was their non-conformity to gender roles that made them particularly good as medicine men.

In traditional Craft, we are often told that magic between two men is impossible or even evil. This is nonsense. Much of the magic that we perform in Wicca stems from ceremonial magic, yet most magicians have historically been men. Although ceremonial magic was often practiced alone, it was also common to have an assistant, who would usually be another man or boy. In modern times, magicians often meet in lodges which tend to be predominantly male.

I have myself worked with male and female partners, and I have never noticed a difference in the quality of the magic performed as a result of the gender of the other person. Alex Sanders himself once produced a magical child by working with another man. (J. Johns, 1969, King of the Witches). I think much of the problem arises when people confuse polarity magic with gender magic. Polarity magic is performed by two people who act as different poles in a magical circuit. Gender magic is performed by two people of opposite genders using their sexual energy and magnetism to produce a magical effect. This is simply heterosexual sex magic. Homosexuals can achieve the same effect, except it will be with a member of the same gender.

Can homosexuals understand the mysteries?

The mysteries of the Craft, as found when we look beyond our legends of the God and Goddess, can be experienced by anyone who has grown to a certain spiritual level. If people are not drawn to the Craft, our legends will probably not speak to them, but if they are spiritually mature, they will have experienced the mysteries in some other way.

In Wicca, these mysteries are particularly visible as the interplay between the male and female principles of the universe. As the reader has seen by now, a gay man is no stranger to interactions of male and female; he simply sees them from a different perspective. So it is with the mysteries.

Can homosexuals become High Priests or High Priestesses?

As there is nothing about homosexuality which limits a person’s spiritual growth, a homosexual can be initiated into the High Priesthood, that is to say, to the second or third degree. However, in traditional Wicca the rituals are, at least to some extent, a re-enactment of the legends of the God and Goddess. In solitary work this does not matter as one can invoke either the God or Goddess, or both, but in coven the God and the Goddess should be represented. It is for this reason that covens are led by a man and a woman. This should be the case regardless of the sexual orientation of the participants. Although in theory a person could represent either the God or Goddess, in practice this can be awkward in a skyclad coven.

Can homosexuals perform the Great Rite?

Traditionally the Great Rite is the union of a couple with each other and with the Gods through the medium of sex. If the couple is gay and of the same gender, they should be able to achieve the same effect. Some, though not all, homosexuals can also perform sex with members of the opposite gender. In that case they may also be able to perform the Great Rite with a member of the opposite gender.

The Great Rite is also a part of the third degree initiation ritual. As initiations within traditional Wicca are always cross-gender for reasons that relate to the mysteries, this may seem to cause some problems. However, there is a version of the Great Rite which does not involve sex that can be used for this initiation. This version of the Great Rite is often referred to as "symbolic" or "in token", although "platonic" may be more appropriate as the same magical effect should occur, except without the use of sex.

For all the above reasons I feel that homosexuals cannot be barred from traditional Wicca, nor from the High Priesthood on the basis of sexual orientation. "There is no part of us that is not of the Gods", and that must include our sexuality. As Alex Sanders once said (The Alex Sanders Tapes, vol. 1, 1987): "Always; the God, the Goddess; a man, a woman, two women; two men. A perfect triangle of power. And these stand out particularly if you work and discover the mysteries and myths of the Wicca that I was taught."

Final Note

I must apologize to my lesbian sisters for not having mentioned them very much in this paper. Although I suspect that much of what I have said would apply to them as well, I did not wish to be so bold as to speak for them. Surely men have spoken on behalf of women far too much as it is. I also leave it to bisexuals and transsexuals to speak for themselves.

References and suggested reading:

Conner, Randy P. Blossom of Bone – Reclaiming the Connections between Homoeroticism and the Sacred. Harper San Francisco. 1993

Hopcke, Robert H. Jung, Jungians and Homosexuality, Shambhala, 1991.

Johns, June, King of the Witches — The World of Alex Sanders, Coward-McCann Inc., 1969.

Sanders, O. Alexander, The Alex Sanders Tapes – Witchcraft as an Initiatory Path; Vol. 1: Exposition of the Wicca and Vol. 11: Rites and Ceremonies, Ordine Della Luna, 1987.


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This was in my Ethic Folder in my BoS on my computer. I am no stranger to homosexuality. While I am a "straight" (Once Bi-sexual due to curiosity) I still have many gay and bisexual friends. I found this article both heartwarming and truthful and found that perhaps I could pass it on. Sadly this was done before I realized I should always attach a web address into the file as well. Still all credit to the author.

Incantation and a new baby!

So for those who were paying attention, I told you guys about a incantation I repeated over and over one day so that Halloween would be a pleasant one.

Well, it worked. It wasn't WARM but it was indeed pleasant. Me and my friends were out for a good 3-4 hours that night. It was cold but we were moving around and so excited that we barely felt the cold. So in reality it worked! It just wasn't the way I was expected.


On other news:

I'm an Aunty for the first time. My older brother, Douglas; and his lovely girlfriend Jamie had a baby girl 11:30 on the First of November. She's 1 pound 12 ounces. She was due in February but due to a complication that I'm not fully educated in, she was delivered early. From what I gathered, Jamie had a complication that made her body reject the fetus. Her blood pressure went straight up and both of them were in danger. They gave Jamie a lot of medication to try and get her BP down, and keep the baby inside for at least another month. When it came apparent this wasn't working, they allowed her to give birth to the child.

Her name is Grace, and by the Grace of the Lord and Lady she's alive. Though she's still at a lot of risk, she'll be just fine.

I'm asking for advice if anyone knows how to do a baby blessing. While I don't want this to be a "Wiccaning" I do want it to bless the child to the new world. Her parents are both Christian but her mother understands my faith and knows I would never mean harm to her child.

Blessings to all
Blessings to you Grace
May your tiny feet leave big foot prints in the world
May your voice speak like angels
May your Grace bless all those you meet.
You truly are a miracle