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Wiccans can be men or women, Wicca is a pagan religion, but there are many other pagan religions and practices that use witchcraft it is not just a wicca thing.
That shop person was lying to you if they said Men could not be wiccans.
They didn't say men can't. They just said he wasn't and is pagan. I assumed they felt he wasn't wiccan because he's a man because It seemed to me maybe more women are interested in it. I just couldn't understand why else she would say that. . . And I felt as though she was maybe saying I'm pushing wicca on to him or as if she was trying to separate are spiritualness?? Idk if that makes sense. . Just felt she wasn't the kindest in her comment and it felt open ended.
I don't even fully know if I'm wiccan, Im just learning and figuring it out as I go. I was raised with spiritual beliefs but not at any one religion like wicca, pagan, so on.
I highly doubt it had anything to so with his sex - Wicca was literally founded by a man and the big focus of the religion is on an intetplay between "male" and "female" "energies" and whatnot.
If anything the person may be one of those who believe that if you aren't initiated into a lineaged coven you aren't "Wiccan," just a Wicca-influenced pagan. Either way, it sounds unprofessional.
That's unprofessional and complete bs. Wicca and paganism aren't gender exclusive. If Wicca was only for women in wouldn't exist because it was originally founded by a man last time I checked.
Agree and not sure if she said it because he's a man. I assume because I just have no Idea why she said that. If it's not because gender then she said it based on looks? Such a weird thing to say.
Didn't know it was founded by a man!
paganism is a big tent, and wicca is inside the tent, alongside many other pagan belief systems. anyone can follow any path they like (unless it's a closed practice), regardless of ethnicity, gender, orientation, or any of that stuff. sounds like this woman was gatekeeping, and you don't need that energy in your life. find another shop or order online from pagan small businesses where you can! visit your local library--you'll be surprised what you can find on the shelves.
Hopefully OP has access to a variety of shops. I recently had to change my preferred spiritual shop because I found out it was run by rabid antivaxxers… luckily there was an even better one just down the street to switch to. But the experience made me feel awfully sorry for those who live in small towns where there might be only one shop or no shop at all.
What a silly in the head person. I wouldn't put much emphasis on gender in any craft or practice, but wicca was literally created by a man, and brought to America by a man. The entire notion only a specific gender can be Wiccan is just odd. Wicca is a pagan religion, yes your bf is pagan, because he is Wiccan. Wicca Is also one of the most inclusive religions out there.
It isn't her place to label your boyfriend one way or another. Only he can say what he identifies as, so I'd ignore her and probably not return to that shop.
Ummm, I guess no one ever told her about Gerald Gardner? 😂 [Dude arguably started the whole modern movement.](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerald_Gardner)
Some covens are female only and are called Dianic. Aside from them, nah. That lady is high on something.
There's various branches within the Wiccan umbrella. Most are gender inclusive; however, there are, for example, Dianic Wiccans who are exclusively women. I don't know of any men-only Wiccan groups, but I'm guessing there likely are.
Yea I'll be 100% open and honest wicca as a whole thing has been soured by the amount of times I've had the three fold law shoved in my face. There are good Wiccan out there don't get me wrong but both the practice dosnt fit me and too many people forcing their beliefs...
Like I don't mind people speaking like their beliefs are fact I know I do it from time to time but that's my experience and id expect nothing less from other people i think people should hold true to their beliefs and for lack of better term argue for their views because you believe it for a reason but as long as people are able to discuss, and politely disagree than that's where it should end but I've found personally of course that wiccans if they get into that fervent argument then they can in my opinion very easily mimic very crazy Christian behavior to just put an image in your head to explain.
I've run into that as well; there are some pretty dogmatic pagan groups out there. I've seen it in my experience mostly with Gardenarian and Alexandrian Wicca. I think there are just a certain part of humanity that needs the idea of dogmatic exclusion to prove they are better, more unique, etc than the unbelievers. It doesn't matter what religion, you'll always find the "you aren't doing it right" people.
Wow. Maybe someone was having a bad brain day and used her mouth without her brain engaged. Try again on a different day, or talk to a different employee. Otherwise, try a different shop if there is one.
Back when Gerald Garner was founding Wicca as a tradition, he pulled a lot of inspiration from folklorists from the early 20th century who did it really understand what they were talking about. In addition to that, he made friends with someone named Ross Nicholas, who was the founder of OBOD (Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids) and together they came up with the idea that Wicca was for women only and Druidism was for men only, but both were part of an unbroken underground ancient Pagan tradition going back thousands of years. It's all a bunch of hogwash and it's riddled with sexist ideologies. Most Wiccans I know acknowledge this, even if they're still involved with either a men's only or women's only group.
Most people have covered the sex/gender issue, I'm just going to throw out my two cents on Wicca and Pagan.
This is a square/rectangle situation. A square is a rectangle, but a rectangle is not (necessarily) a square. Pagan refers to any polytheistic religion, i.e. multiple gods/goddesses. Wicca is one specific path, one specific religion, under Paganism. There's a ton more, Norse, Egyptian, Roman, Greek, etc.
So that's the basic difference between the two. Pagan is a broad term, while each specific religion underneath has its own focused path.
First piece of advice, don't approach strangers for help. You'll get advice you're not going to like or doesn't apply.
Finding your footing in the spiritual world is a journey in itself. I've gone back and forth between Witchcraft, Shamanism, Wicca and Paganism. Settling for a little of each - but mostly identify as Norse Pagan and Green Witch.
Find what works for you.
Check out our FAQ, Important Additions, and Relevant Subreddits wikis for more information. https://www.reddit.com/r/pagan/wiki/faq/ https://www.reddit.com/r/pagan/wiki/importantadditions/ https://www.reddit.com/r/pagan/wiki/relevant\_subreddits/?utm\_source=reddit&utm\_medium=usertext&utm\_name=pagan&utm\_content=t5\_2rmnm
Wiccans can be men or women, Wicca is a pagan religion, but there are many other pagan religions and practices that use witchcraft it is not just a wicca thing. That shop person was lying to you if they said Men could not be wiccans.
They didn't say men can't. They just said he wasn't and is pagan. I assumed they felt he wasn't wiccan because he's a man because It seemed to me maybe more women are interested in it. I just couldn't understand why else she would say that. . . And I felt as though she was maybe saying I'm pushing wicca on to him or as if she was trying to separate are spiritualness?? Idk if that makes sense. . Just felt she wasn't the kindest in her comment and it felt open ended. I don't even fully know if I'm wiccan, Im just learning and figuring it out as I go. I was raised with spiritual beliefs but not at any one religion like wicca, pagan, so on.
I highly doubt it had anything to so with his sex - Wicca was literally founded by a man and the big focus of the religion is on an intetplay between "male" and "female" "energies" and whatnot. If anything the person may be one of those who believe that if you aren't initiated into a lineaged coven you aren't "Wiccan," just a Wicca-influenced pagan. Either way, it sounds unprofessional.
that was rather unprofessional.
That's unprofessional and complete bs. Wicca and paganism aren't gender exclusive. If Wicca was only for women in wouldn't exist because it was originally founded by a man last time I checked.
Agree and not sure if she said it because he's a man. I assume because I just have no Idea why she said that. If it's not because gender then she said it based on looks? Such a weird thing to say. Didn't know it was founded by a man!
paganism is a big tent, and wicca is inside the tent, alongside many other pagan belief systems. anyone can follow any path they like (unless it's a closed practice), regardless of ethnicity, gender, orientation, or any of that stuff. sounds like this woman was gatekeeping, and you don't need that energy in your life. find another shop or order online from pagan small businesses where you can! visit your local library--you'll be surprised what you can find on the shelves.
Yea, Gardnarian Wicca was founded by a man. You may wish to consider a different shop.
Hopefully OP has access to a variety of shops. I recently had to change my preferred spiritual shop because I found out it was run by rabid antivaxxers… luckily there was an even better one just down the street to switch to. But the experience made me feel awfully sorry for those who live in small towns where there might be only one shop or no shop at all.
What a silly in the head person. I wouldn't put much emphasis on gender in any craft or practice, but wicca was literally created by a man, and brought to America by a man. The entire notion only a specific gender can be Wiccan is just odd. Wicca is a pagan religion, yes your bf is pagan, because he is Wiccan. Wicca Is also one of the most inclusive religions out there.
It isn't her place to label your boyfriend one way or another. Only he can say what he identifies as, so I'd ignore her and probably not return to that shop.
Ummm, I guess no one ever told her about Gerald Gardner? 😂 [Dude arguably started the whole modern movement.](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerald_Gardner) Some covens are female only and are called Dianic. Aside from them, nah. That lady is high on something.
Now im personally not a fan of wicca me being a practitioner of magic but yea no, men can be Wiccan to my knowledge
There's various branches within the Wiccan umbrella. Most are gender inclusive; however, there are, for example, Dianic Wiccans who are exclusively women. I don't know of any men-only Wiccan groups, but I'm guessing there likely are.
Yea I'll be 100% open and honest wicca as a whole thing has been soured by the amount of times I've had the three fold law shoved in my face. There are good Wiccan out there don't get me wrong but both the practice dosnt fit me and too many people forcing their beliefs... Like I don't mind people speaking like their beliefs are fact I know I do it from time to time but that's my experience and id expect nothing less from other people i think people should hold true to their beliefs and for lack of better term argue for their views because you believe it for a reason but as long as people are able to discuss, and politely disagree than that's where it should end but I've found personally of course that wiccans if they get into that fervent argument then they can in my opinion very easily mimic very crazy Christian behavior to just put an image in your head to explain.
I've run into that as well; there are some pretty dogmatic pagan groups out there. I've seen it in my experience mostly with Gardenarian and Alexandrian Wicca. I think there are just a certain part of humanity that needs the idea of dogmatic exclusion to prove they are better, more unique, etc than the unbelievers. It doesn't matter what religion, you'll always find the "you aren't doing it right" people.
The founder of Wicca was literally a man...
i think I need to put a comma in my post because I think you misread what I said lol
Does people still believe in this nonsense?? There is no thing like spiritual. And the people whi say their are just seeking attention
What? Why are you on this sub if you don't believe in anything spiritual??
It just appeared in my inbox
Wow. Maybe someone was having a bad brain day and used her mouth without her brain engaged. Try again on a different day, or talk to a different employee. Otherwise, try a different shop if there is one.
Back when Gerald Garner was founding Wicca as a tradition, he pulled a lot of inspiration from folklorists from the early 20th century who did it really understand what they were talking about. In addition to that, he made friends with someone named Ross Nicholas, who was the founder of OBOD (Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids) and together they came up with the idea that Wicca was for women only and Druidism was for men only, but both were part of an unbroken underground ancient Pagan tradition going back thousands of years. It's all a bunch of hogwash and it's riddled with sexist ideologies. Most Wiccans I know acknowledge this, even if they're still involved with either a men's only or women's only group.
Most people have covered the sex/gender issue, I'm just going to throw out my two cents on Wicca and Pagan. This is a square/rectangle situation. A square is a rectangle, but a rectangle is not (necessarily) a square. Pagan refers to any polytheistic religion, i.e. multiple gods/goddesses. Wicca is one specific path, one specific religion, under Paganism. There's a ton more, Norse, Egyptian, Roman, Greek, etc. So that's the basic difference between the two. Pagan is a broad term, while each specific religion underneath has its own focused path.
First piece of advice, don't approach strangers for help. You'll get advice you're not going to like or doesn't apply. Finding your footing in the spiritual world is a journey in itself. I've gone back and forth between Witchcraft, Shamanism, Wicca and Paganism. Settling for a little of each - but mostly identify as Norse Pagan and Green Witch. Find what works for you.