Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Tumultuous & Turbulent Tuesday

For the past 2 days I have been reading everything I can find about what went on this year at PantheaCon. I wasn't there, the information I have is from people who were there or simply others who like me, have an opinion about some of the activity that has been reported. The following is my opinion, my rant, my feelings... In no way do I *EXPECT* anyone to either agree or disagree, luckily we are all blessed with the gift of free will that includes the *right* to decide how we as individuals feel about this or any other situation.

It is my understanding the controversy surrounding the celebration this year is almost like a continuation of what happened at last years gathering. And the central character in all this muck is the well know Z Budapest. I have never met the woman, but have like others read many of her books and have been made aware of the things she stands for, supports, or otherwise engages in. We all know Z is a Dianic elder and has shown herself to be pretty much anti male. So it comes as no surprise to me that she would want to hold her ritual for women. The problem with this is she has stipulated *Genetic Women* or those born with a vagina.

What about the transgender community? What about the women who are living in a male body? What about the women who are now fully living as women where they had previously been living a lie?

The ritual that Z facilitated at PantheaCon this year was announced and advertised as a healing *skyclad* ritual. OK, again, I don't have a problem with this. She chose to limit the participants to *genetic women* only because the women participating *might feel threatened* by someone who wasn't in actuality a *genetic woman* (DAMN! I'm getting tired of that phrase!!) Again, I ask, what about the transgender community, the women there who also need healing??

If you want to have a ritual of ANY kind at a public event, the ritual needs to be open to anyone and everyone who wishes to attend. If there is the need for a gender specific ritual, do it privately, not in a convention type setting that the general public has paid money to attend. I don't care who you are or how many people follow you, or even if you think you may be the living manifestation of your chosen Deity. When you exclude anyone, for any reason, you set yourself up for ridicule and then embarrassment.

One final thought: When I go into Sacred Space, I go *In perfect love and perfect trust*. To me this means I trust EACH person in that circle with me. I have NO problems being in a circle where men are present. If you have an issue being in any circle, whether skyclad or fully clothed with a member of the opposite sex because you *might feel threatened* YOU need to be the one examining YOUR problems and NOT project those problems onto the rest of the community. I have been in Sacred Space with complete strangers both female and MALE and felt more love and trust than I could have imagined.

If you would like more information about what went on at PantheaCon this year and some of the reactions to those activities, you can read more here:

Star Foster from Patheos

T.Thorn Coyle from Know Thyself

Lupa from Lupa Bitch

David Salisbury from David's Cauldron

Fire Lyte from Inciting A Riot

Robert from Doing Magick

Jason Pitzl-Waters from The Wild Hunt

Rowan Pendragon from One Witch's Way