As someone involved at times with the Reclaiming witchcraft community
both here in Australia and in the US, I can attest to the increasing
influence of (or acknowledgment of) transgender sexuality within that
community in recent times. It was on the basis of being more inclusive
that Reclaiming changed part of the wording of their statement 'The
Principles of Unity'
http://www.reclaiming.org/about/directions/unity.html. Where it used to
read "We include those who honor the God and Goddess". It now reads "We
honor the Mysterious Ones, Goddesses, and Gods of myriad expressions,
genders, and states of being". Some have seen this as a positive step,
although some who still see a place for traditional definitons of "God"
and "Goddess" have been offended by the relegation of 'THE Goddess' (as
an overall spiritual force) to 'goddesses' and like wise for 'The God'
(traditionally understood in the tradiitonal Wiccan context of The
Horned One, the Green Man etc) to 'gods'. The new wording seems to have
stuck, however, and there are ongoing debates in the US about
transgender people and their roles in the community - to what extent etc
(as in Sabina's example of whether transgender people should be
permitted or even encouraged to attend women's only events). I guess the
point is that the old gender dualities of 'man' and 'woman' are breaking
down, along with how people identify sexually, which can be along a
whole spectrum of difference from 'straight' to 'gay' to 'bisexual' to
'polyamorous' etc.
I remember when I was in the OTO an enormous debate about whether a gay
man could or could not perform the role of Priestess in the Gnostic
Mass. The ruling at the time was that he could not, as it would
fundamentally change the gender balance and energies called on within
the Mass; yet the OTO has always been open to all sexualities attending
the Gnostic mass, and I foresee a time where (I hope) the Priest may be
performed by a woman or gay or transgendered person, and likewise the
Priestess role.
I haven't heard the term "meta-gender" before. Will be interested to
know what communities or individuals are using this term of themselves
or others.
best
Leigh (a cisgender straight-identified man in a polyamorous relationship
with a man and a woman). (Fr HekAL)
On 22/02/2014 12:24 PM, Magliocco, Sabina wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> Fascinating discussion; in California, at least, there has been quite a bit of tension in the Pagan community in the last several years around issues of transwomen attending women-only rites. Some organizers and attendees, mostly those of the Second Wave feminist stripe, perceived this as a violation of women's space by individuals whom they saw as having male privilege. There has been a strong reaction of support for transwomen and other TG persons from the queer Pagan community. Interestingly, I have not heard of this issue arising for transmen who attend men-only rituals.
>
> One question that perhaps someone can help me with. Last weekend at Pantheacon, I spoke with a person who identified as "meta-gender" and used the pronoun "e" to refer to eself. What exactly is "meta-gender?" I haven't run across this one yet, and I don't see it on Pitch's list from the new Facebook designations.
>
> Thanks in advance for your help.
>
> Best,
> Sabina
> (A cis-gender bisexual woman in a lesbian relationship)
>
>
>
> Sabina Magliocco
> Professor
> Department of Anthropology
> California State University - Northridge
> [log in to unmask]
> ________________________________________
> From: Society for The Academic Study of Magic [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Pitch313 [[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Friday, February 21, 2014 10:57 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [ACADEMIC-STUDY-MAGIC] transgender and paganism
>
> Aloha,
>
> A few additional comments:
>
> 1.) For U.S. members, Facebook has added a large number of
> possible gender identifiers (58) that may be self-selected. An
> article at Slate suggests that these offer at least 18 broad gender
> categories.
>
> This is a far more elaborated categorization than I have seen before.
>
> 2.) In regard to protocols of terminology, I have a sense that there's
> a lot of changes going on here. I'd say that descriptive clarity is the
> ideal for academic usage, but that, often, we just do the best we can
> with our terms.
>
> 3.) Modern Paganism is certainly responsive to its socio-cultural
> environment
> and influenced by it. Transgender as an outlook and as folks has, in my
> experience, stirred up plenty of controversy and conflict. Even among
> Pagan Trads and Pagan folks who advocate diversity and tolerance. It's
> a highly charged concern.
>
> Transgender in Modern Paganism, it seems to me, provides a good
> example of how we frame things in terms of purity and danger. As well
> as how, when circumstances of gender or gender identity alter, what
> was pure becomes dangerous. Or vice versa.
>
> 4.) In regard to the categorization offered in the Slate article, I'd say
> that I more or less behave as a cisgender male of middle years and
> experience. But that, intellectually, I push myself a little to think in
> terms of pangender. My appreciation of today's Paganism and magical
> endeavors suggests that this is the most fruitful outlook for making
> sense of things and getting some practice done.
>
> From Slate:
>
> Confused by All the New Facebook Genders? Here's What They Mean.
>
> http://www.slate.com/blogs/lexicon_valley/2014/02/21/gender_facebook_now_has_56_categories_to_choose_from_including_cisgender.html
>
> Musing Gender Can Be A Comfort, A Challenge, A Confusion, A Terror, A
> Theogen--Magic! Rose,
>
> Pitch
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