For many years, I would tell people (when asked, of course) that I was Wiccan. I hesitated to use the word Witch, because of all the baggage attached to it. I think I was hoping that by starting with an unfamiliar word (to most people, back in the 90s), it could be a blank slate, and they’d stop making the sign of the cross and running to the other side of the street when I appeared (okay, to be fair, that only happened once, and it was probably more my pentacle than anything else, but seriously – how could anyone be afraid of a frumpy housewife wearing a little silver star? *grin*).
However, in the past year as I’ve worked to rediscover my craft, I’ve also begun to reclaim the word Witch. I think the quote below, from awesome Aussie witch Fiona Horne, sums up how I feel.
What are your feelings on the word? Do you prefer Wiccan or Witch (and yes, I know they can be very different definitions). Feel free to shout out in the comment section below, and let me know your experiences with the word.
“I like the word Witch. For so long, because of fear and ignorance, it has been considered a negative term. I enjoy being a part of reinstating its rightful meaning. In a nutshell, the word Witch describes a person who sees divinity in Nature, worships Goddesses always, and Gods most of the time, practices the healing arts, is in touch with their psychic abilities, practices magick and experiences their lives as an ever-evolving miracle.” – Fiona Horne, Witch: A Magickal Journey
Although my path is influenced by Wicca, I do not call myself Wiccan since I am not initiated; so I typically just say I’m Pagan or a Pagan Witch. I’m perfectly fine with the word witch. I find it’s important to show others that witches are not what the media portrays us as. Identifying as a witch allows me to have a discussion about what being a witch actually means.
I agree, Heidi. I try to be aware of my actions in public when I’m wearing my pentacle – not acting out of character, but making an extra effort to smile at people and such. While it doesn’t always work (for example, recently offered assistance to a woman at my local laundromat, and had a pleasant convo until she noticed my pentacle – afterwards, her responses became monosyllabic), I know every positive encounter helps wear away at the longstanding media portrayal.
Oh, and thanks for shouting out. 🙂
My Wiccan sister has proudly used the word “witch” to describe herself, for years. And I tend to think of Wiccans as witches, with no negative connotations. At the same time, there’s one professional colleague, a non-Wiccan, that I refer to as the “Wicked Witch of the West”, and in that context there *are* definite negative connotations. Cognitive dissonance? I dunno…
How do you feel about the witches in The Wizard of Oz? Do you find them offensive?
LOL! I’ve used the Wicked Witch and Glenda descriptions many times before with various people (including myself). I think because they’re specific characters and not a blanket representation of all witches, it doesn’t come across as offensive – at least, not to me. Thanks for asking, thinky! 🙂
I call myself pagan and will use the witch word if the conversation gets that deep, which frankly, it usually doesn’t. Most people don’t want to hear about anyone’s religion or spiritual path except their own, I find. Although I will write about my holidays, what they’re about, and what I do on my blog.
I will tell you that I have the napkin rings of the creator of Bewitched, and will tell their story including my witchy identity, when talking about them.
Sounds like a good way to go about it, illustr8d. I’m still mega jelly about those napkin rings. 😀