Trans* Paths

2463) I’m a Druidic pagan and FtM. This year at our group Beltaine meet, I went into the men’s sacred lodge for the first time. The acceptance there was overwhelming. There was no hostility or discomfort. I was totally accepted by the people dearest to me as a man, just a man, in all the sacred power of masculinity. I have never felt so at peace with myself. Thank you, guys.

(Source: ftmconfessions)

Being Queer-identified and Heathen: Safe Spaces

dewognatos:

sinnsreachdheathen:

Let me first say thank you to everyone who submitted their experiences to me, you were an excellent help! They were a great inspiration and though they will remain anonymous, this post is built on their personal experiences from the perspectives of Heathen and Reconstructionist LGBTQ+ people. I will write this solely from a Heathen perspective as well. Let me also say, before anyone proceeds that there is going to be a:
(Trigger Warning: Instances of homophobia and bigotry, mention of)

Now we shall continue,
We live in 2012. Lots of people are out as LGBTQ+. Contemporary Heathenry exists in this era with us. Many people are raising their children as Heathens or any myriad of other Reconstructionist ethnic traditions. Many of these children may grow up to be LGBTQ+ Heathens and yet, there was one constant running thread through every submission to my inbox that caught my eye and that was the worry of not having a safe space with Heathens to feel safe and safely associate with others like themselves. I am going to write about safe spaces for LGBTQ+ people(though there is some cross over for POCs as well) as my topic of real life experiences in Heathenry and real life applications because this is something that is at the forefront of the lives of many and it should be considered with practical applications.

This is a problem, a huge one, especially since contemporary Reconstructionism has gotten to the point where there are more than one generation growing up Heathen and there is the possibility that many of them will grow up to be LGBTQ+. As if the outside world wasn’t already hard enough for queer-identified folks to exist in the world without being of an “alternative religion” but we even have among our ranks certain individuals who would aim to make it unsafe for LGBTQ+ folks to practice their own religions and cultures in peace. We have racists and homophobes and misogynists in our midst, and that is just the reality with any group but as Heathens, we have to worry about what mingling our Wyrd with theirs will do to us.

We must “keep frith” inside the frithyard, inside spheres where it is required that we “drop our weapons” and keep civil but unfortunately this is not always easy to do in certain public spaces, especially the internet. Many of these people want to force their bigoted opinions on innocent folks and fill the space, take power of it and ultimately remove that safe-space and power from the people they are trying to marginalise, and in this case, that is often LGBTQ+ people. We need to make safe spaces for everyone, especially the marginalised. Luckily there are sources out there that will provide safe-spaces for queer-identified people, be they gay, asexual, trans* or anything else they identify as. 

When looking for a group to connect with(we are social animals and Heathenry and Recon are often very social-driven practices) we need to be aware of those who are in the group. We need to be aware of who we are going to be mingling our Wyrd with. We also need to have the courage to speak up for those who can’t against those who would seek to hurt them. This is not about politics, or one’s personal UPG. It is about providing a SAFE SPACE and the full rights to enjoy a space and feel safe in it, and the right to refuse to share a horn or mingle Wyrd with someone who would seek to poison it or otherwise hurt you.

This bigotry is not based on the lore and it isn’t based on historical views of our Ancestors on “queerness”. They lived in a different time, their views depended highly on their own experiential knowledge and lived experience in a very different society. Besides that, we see many instances in the lore where the Gods genderbend or otherwise commit “ergi” acts(Odin’s practice of seidr, Loki’s many instances of changing sex and giving birth, Thor’s genderbending to get mjöllnir back(depicted above)). That being said, I will not be quoting much lore as this is not a “What is Heathenry 101” blog and that is not the purpose of this post. Our Ancestors had very many different beliefs and “ergi” is just one but it cannot and should not be compared to modern society and how we view things. We live in a different world. Plain and simple. It is perfectly acceptable to be LGBTQ+ and a Heathen or Hellenist or Gaulish Polytheist, or whatever else you may be. Not only is it acceptable but it is encouraged that one embrace who they are and stand up for it. Anyone who thinks otherwise is definitely not worth mingling Wyrd with. In many societies, bisexuality was encouraged. Any modern views imposed upon a Reconstructionist religion should be scrutinised quite highly. Today, being LGBTQ+ can alter the relationship one has with no just their kin and kith but with their gods as well. It fully encompasses their lived experience as a queer-identified Heathen. Being able to relate to not just your gods but your people is spiritually healthy. It is part of growing up, growing into yourself, accepting who you are and feeling safe to do so.

Everyone deserves a safe place. Everyone deserves to practice in peace, be social in peace, and to fully embrace who they are in peace. No one should ever have their experiences erased, whether they be gay, trans*, a woman, a transwoman, or a person of colour, or of mixed race. Everyone deserves a space where no one is going to screw with that. There is a reason we have Heathens Against Hate and Caorann. I won’t hyperlink those just yet. If we are at the point of raising children in these religions, we need to make sure we provide a place to mingle Wyrd with non-toxic people. The name of my blog is Seledreamas. The word describes a concept in Anglo-Saxon Heathenry, particularly in the context of symbel wherein a space is considered a safe space, a place of peace. It is translated simply “hall joys” but the word goes much deeper than that. It speaks to a very social aspect of Heathenry and to the importance of keeping people together and keeping your people safe. Today, that includes LGBTQ+ people in our modern practice. 

It is important that one know where to go to keep safe in Heathen spheres. If anyone expresses bigotry, report them to whoever is leading the space immediately. If you are leading a space, make sure those entering it know exactly how to behave(do not out someone who wishes to remain anonymous for their own safety for example) and remove anyone who expresses bigotted ideas. They have no place in a frithyard and you can expect people to refuse to drink from the horn of a bigot, especially if they have a history of spewing vitriol. This is typical Heathen etiquette and it should be upheld for everyone. Expressing bigotry or vitriol violates a very basic and very important code in Heathenry, and that is the one to make Luck and healthy Wyrd with your kin and kith. If one does this, they are essentially poisoning the collective well of their people and it should never be expected or accepted. Be aware of the groups individuals are organised and affiliated with, the basic accepted etiquette of a social forum. Check the main websites of Heathen organisations and read their manifestos. Look for key words or symbols that strike you as unsafe(nazi code, rightwing “family” rhetoric). Many of these groups are not Heathen at all but use it as a veneer for bigotted views. I should leave a disclaimer. If an individual is conservative in their views of the lore, or with reconstructing from historical documents, it is NOT the same as expressing bigotted and dangerous views towards marginalised people. From a Heathen point of view, making accomodations for bigotted people is unhealthy spiritually, physically and for your Wyrd and the health of your people and their future. It is downright dangerous on many levels.

There are safe spaces, and there are decent people who wish to nourish you spiritually and keep you safe physically. When you have a safe space to socialise in, you will be able to speak with your gods and have a healthier social and spiritual life, and you deserve it. Period.

I am going to leave some “safe space” links for people to look at with explanations about them below:

CAORANN(Celts Against Oppression, Racism and Neonazism. Run by Celtic Recon elders) 

Heathens Against Hate(An organisation that seeks to speak out against oppression and bigotry)

A Gay Rant from a Gay Heathen(A great post by Freyrsman) 

AsatruQ Yahoo Community(A safe space for LGBTQ+ Asatruar. Must have a yahoo account) 

Queer Heathens(closed facebook group. A safe space) 

Pagan Hot Showers(an organisation wherein people offer “hot showers” and shelter to Pagans in need, including those who need shelter from abuse or trans* folk who need somewhere to go. Excellent group and very helpful. Definitely a safe space. Reconstructionist friendly.) 

GLBTPagans Meetup Page (currently seems to only be in America)

Homosexuality from a Hellenic POV(article written by a Hellenist, deals with contemporary and Reconstructionist views on LGBTQ+ issues)
 
A Heathen View on a Touchy Subject(a Heathen perspective on transgender issues) 

I will reserve my own blog as a safe space, as I wrote in my disclaimer. Again I would like to thank the people who bravely shared their experiences with me and gave me the inspiration to write my post for the individual who asked for it. I have not quoted anyone or named anyone except freyrsman as his post is already public. Everyone else is remaining anonymous, including their details for their own personal safety. 

Gods preserve this post and heap blessings everywhere for it. This is fucking amazing. Thank you for writing this.

(Source: wyrdwulf)

Gender Neutral Bathroom Challenge

nonop:

The challenge: Don’t use any gendered bathrooms or change rooms for the month of April.

What are “gendered bathrooms”? Gendered bathrooms are designated for “men” or “women” by a sign. This challenges includes ALL multi-stall and single-stall washrooms, and the bathrooms at work, schools, libraries, bars/restaurants, and everywhere, really.

There are multiple purposes for this challenge:

1) To give people who don’t find going to gendered bathrooms a difficult/unsafe experience a small idea of what it is like for trans and gender variant people to navigate this world. Hopefully, with some real life experience, you will have a broader understanding of how gendered this world really is. But,

DOING THIS DOES NOT GIVE YOU AUTHORITY TO SAY WHAT IT IS LIKE TO BE TRANS OR GENDER VARIANT.

2) To inspire people to fight for more gender neutral bathrooms.

Tips:
- Don’t drink a lot of liquid if you are leaving the house for long periods of time
- Try to figure out where some gender neutral bathrooms are in your town/city, and plan your day around using a gender neutral bathroom.
- Remember, you can use gendered bathrooms again in May. Some people can’t.

And, even if you really have to go to the bathroom, try to not see gendered bathrooms as a possible place to go.

If you are interested, feel free to write your experiences down and send them to gnbchallenge@gmail.com. With your permission, they will be included in a zine on the topic of gendered bathrooms.

We also recommend fighting for gender neutral bathrooms in one (or more) public space(s). Often the fight for this aspect of bathroom accessibility is only fought for by trans and gender variant people; It would be nice if other people fought for it too.

—-

PLEASE SPREAD THIS!

There’s also some clarifications here about the creators/point of the challenge here: http://nonop.tumblr.com/post/20176069036/re-gender-neutral-bathroom-challenge

Good news! Pagan-Confessions isn’t dead!

pagan-confessions:

You can keep right on sending in your confessions. However, you can be sure that if you send in something offensive, it won’t just fly by without consideration anymore.

My name is Andrea, and I am your new hostess. I will be working with letters-to-luris on this confession blog, especially while they are considering their own role with it.

If you post something rude, racist, sexist, or cissexist, it will probably still be posted. But not without commentary, and not without a trigger warning. You are welcome to your opinion- you are not welcome to hurt others with your opinions without being called out on it.

With that said, please continue submitting your confessions! You don’t have to keep things positive, just be considerate and think before you type. I know I have appreciated your submissions as a reader and this is a great blog we’d like to keep alive.

Have a good night!

As a follow up to the last post, so that people are aware.

Notice About Pagan Confessions

This is just reporting something that happened, I am not telling anyone to avoid Pagan Confessions, but it’s the sort of thing that I would want to be aware of.

This Confession [transmisogyny, degendering, attacking trans women, possible slur] showed up- I can not find a link, but it appears that Pagan Confessions DID post it, and may put it back up again, saying that they want to give a safe space to everyone and intend to add trigger warnings now, but will still be hosting confessions that misgender and attack transgender people.

They explain their point of view further here:

That’s why there’s going to be a trigger warning from now on. It will be solely the responsibility of the reader whether they actually want to see it or not, but I can’t go against my own creed to discriminate against anyone’s views. It’s not an easy decision to make. It’s my ultimate goal here to keep everyone satisfied and provide a safe place for everyone’s confessions, regardless of whether we agree with each other or not.

They do seem to be attempting to fix the problem with a compromise. I do not know what trigger warnings they’ll be using, it sounds like they’ll have posts under a ‘read more’ so it will not be on your dash, and will hopefully be up to adjusting it if it isn’t working for people.

Again, this is not bidding you to shun them, and please do not harass or attack the maintainer/s of that blog, but the Confession is still going around so it would be good to know what happened.

WHERE MY ASATRU LADIES AT

cactusrabbit:

Asatru is a pretty macho, dick-swinging religion. Being not only a woman but a feminist woman in this faith can feel pretty isolating.

So I’m saying WHERE MY WOMEN AT? CISWOMEN, TRANS*WOMEN, QUEER WOMEN, WTFEVER. WHERE YOU AT? LET’S HAVE SOME SOLIDARITY.

aimawish:

cedarelk:

sinnsreachdheathen:

witchyways:

trans-paths:

Following the latest Pantheacon fail, Foxfetch has begun a series of posts on menstruation as a male mystery.

Part 1

Part 2

Haven’t personally listened to these yet, so don’t yell at me if they are bad or something, but your input is welcome.

I saw a website and it was incredibly weird, unfactual and disturbing…to be frank. I don’t have time to explain though, I’m going into the woods.

I might have to call bullshit on this one… The connection between masculinity and mensuration is that a uterus looks like antlers? And because the horned god has antlers and is linked in many mythologies to moon gods (of which the only they mention is ‘Men’ as well as trying to pass off the word for a roman month as a God…) that must mean it’s all true.

Yeah, i’m gonna need to see some more sources and thoughtful research on this before I buy into it. Last time I checked, menstruation is a biological thing. Anyway, I’ll be watching to see how this unfolds.

This certainly could become an interesting exploration, but I am put off by the focus of trying to associate menstruation with masculinity. I feel like at this point, the argument is that if the shape of a uterus were part of an inkblot test, people might also think of antlers when they see it. 

I do appreciate the move to disassociate menstruation with femininity, but to push it to the other extreme is ridiculous. The reasoning is a bit weak, so far. 

Anyway, yeah, I like to see menstruation acknowledged as belonging to all genders. There’s a definite social block there that should be broken down.