Which is which; am I a warlock, or a witch?

[Naudia Threng]

I love this article! I completely agree, it's all up to you. My practicing partner calls himself a Warlock just because he thinks it sounds cool. I call myself an enchantress because it sounds pretty. The Azure Enchantress, to be specific. But, I will admit, my whole "azure" theme is bit out of touch, because I mainly do fire/spirit magic. I also think the label you use does change with circumstances though. If you say what are you? I'll respond "An enchantress." (If that pertains to the conversation) But if you asked me what type of I was, I'd say "I'm a Kemetic Orale Stitch Witch of the Waste." And then if you asked who are you?, I'd tell you either "The Azure Enchantress" or "Azure Lily" or "Lily". It all depends. It also depends on my current "magick personality". At different times, i feel like a different witch. I also feel it helps me identify with the different parts of my inner self. My "resting self" Is Azure Lily. But i also can go by Emerald Lily, Tourmaline Lily, Sapphire Lily, Opal Lily, and Mica Lily. Great post, Imp!

[Imperious]

My problem is I have always seem witch as a gender neutral term. What would a non-binary person call themselves if they wanted it to be neutral?
I am transgender man so maybe I'm just touchy about the topic.

The thing is, as far as I can see, there isn't much gender neutrality in the wider craft; even from the very premise of the god and goddess, we see duality. That's why I personally don't subscribe to the term "witch" as androgynous, but I'm comfortable that more historically minded Wiccans might. It's their choice.

As for what a non-binary person would call themselves, well, that's entirely up to you. Whatever you find most stimulating is the way to go.

Oh, come on now! Belthazor/Cole was half demon, half human and then became the Source of all evil (and then he died and then came back as indestructible demon and then died again). He's never been a warlock in Charmed (this is the Charmed geek Yana talking).

Bleh - Julian McMahon was almost the only reason to watch Charmed, given that its premise was essentially the same as Power Rangers.

1) Get your ass kicked.
2) Summon the power of 3/other rangers.
3) Win by default.

Don't get me wrong, I fancy Alyssa Milano too, but it wasn't a great show (IMO).

Gief more Buffy.

[Firebird]

I've never given much thought on the subject, to be honest. Maybe because I've never actually met anyone who would refer to themselves as a "warlock". In my native language we have a male and female version of the word "witch" and neither is offensive to anybody. So, good to know, thank you for sharing.

How do you say that in your native language?

bb, Firebird

[YanaKhan]

For a female witch, the word is "veshtitza". A person who is "vesht" means a person of knowledge, a person of skill. The term for male witch (warlock) is "veshter". It has the same root, but you can't use "veshtitza" for a man or "veshter" for a woman.
We have different terms for enchantress and enchanter, mage, magician and several other terms, mostly depending on the path or religion they follow, but the most common are "veshtitza" and "veshter".

[SnowCat]

I've been thinking about how I should describe myself. I'm not a warlock, as I have two X chromosomes. Enchantress is too frilly, witch doesn't quite fit. I have decided that I'm a Cat Whisperer.

Snow

[Naudia Threng]

I've been thinking about how I should describe myself. I'm not a warlock, as I have two X chromosomes. Enchantress is too frilly, witch doesn't quite fit. I have decided that I'm a Cat Whisperer.

Snow

There's always sorceress or Animagi.

[SnowCat]

My cats think I'm a cat. I'm sticking with Cat Whisperer.

Snow

[Chalice]

I'm male, but i hold onto Witch.

Because the Pagan community comes for my label Wiccan, and continues to rip that way from me saying i can't call myself that.

Well Witch, is my stand. I know they will still come for it, but they will take it over my dead body.

I'm tired of labels being claimed as exclusive by certain groups. I'm tired of Tumblr's bullying about labels.

You wanna call yourself Warlock, go for it! It should not be an issue.

We should reclaim all labels from the politically Correct Pagan Police.

[Becks]

Hi Chalice, why are they telling you that you can't be a Wiccan? If you are following a Wiccan tradition then that's really weird.

[Naudia Threng]

I'm male, but i hold onto Witch.

Because the Pagan community comes for my label Wiccan, and continues to rip that way from me saying i can't call myself that.

Well Witch, is my stand. I know they will still come for it, but they will take it over my dead body.

I'm tired of labels being claimed as exclusive by certain groups. I'm tired of Tumblr's bullying about labels.

You wanna call yourself Warlock, go for it! It should not be an issue.

We should reclaim all labels from the politically Correct Pagan Police.

The reason some people say that is because many covens believe that you must initiated into a coven to be Wiccan. But I've never had any give me heck about nor seen it on tumblr. Follow me if youd like, the people I follow give many posts supporting all wiccans.

[Chalice]

Hi Chalice, why are they telling you that you can't be a Wiccan? If you are following a Wiccan tradition then that's really weird.

It's been pretty intense over the last 2-3. Very nasty as well.

Basically if you aren't an initiated Garnderian/Alexandian and in a coven you can't label yourself Wiccan apparently.

In the end, after a lot of constant bullying online, constant posts on Tumble etc aimed at, and me going through depression because of it, I gave away the label Wiccan. It was all too much.

These days, I don't share much online anymore about religion. I keep to myself. I'm not even interested in a local group.

I just call myself a with and try to find nice and positive sites like this to hang out on.

I have noticed that Tumblr has calmed down a little about this. But there used to be a small group of loud/angry bullies on there demanding all the Wiccans be called NeoWiccans.

[Imperious]

Basically if you aren't an initiated Garnderian/Alexandian and in a coven you can't label yourself Wiccan apparently.

That's true. 100%. It couldn't be more right.

Raymond Buckland, arguably more responsible for Wicca's spread in the United States than anyone else, was very clear on the subject. In his book "Pant-Sniffing Majjick", he said:

"I saith unto you - no person regardless of talent, learning, training, commitment and knowledge can ever be a Wiccan without being initiated. Even if the coven is full of sex fiends and dope addicts, and the initiation more resembles a drunken embarrassment than a magical rite, you should do it. If not, you're not a Wiccan. Suck it up, Charlie Brown".

So there.

Or...

Ray Buckland, arguably the man who spread Witchcraft throughout the United States, has written several books for solitary Wiccans; as did the likes of Fitch, Cunningham and others. Anyone arguing that you need initiated into a coven before being a Wiccan doesn't know what the f*ck they're talking about.

Feel free to tell them so.

[Firebird]

Pant-Sniffing Majjick

Excuse me??

[Becks]

"Pant-sniffing magick" indeed!

Well I was going to say something on the subject, but how can I follow that.....Er, Buckland?.....

I tip my hat to Imperious and echo his, and Buckland's sentiments..."they don't know what the f*@ck they're talking about".

Anytime you get groups of people with something like this invariably you also get @sshats attracted to the power. If you're super lucky thats not the case. Often there's at least one. Back away from the @sshats! I would never practice with power hungry idiots that feel good about bullying in magic circles. Count yourself lucky you are away from those bully-power-hungry types.

[SnowCat]

I really think that the folks who want to insist on certain dogma, should add a qualifier to their label. Gardnerian Wiccan, Alexandrian Wiccan, or whatever else is out there. It reminds of high school when the "born again Christian" faction insisted that the Catholic faction couldn't possibly be Christian. Labels don't indicate what's inside a person. And I think we're all aware of the scandals that have plagued both of the aforementioned groups. I'll just keep being a Cat Whisperer. My cats will back me up on that. Unless they run out of food. Then, all bets are off.

Snow