When the body is the temple

rituals, symbolism, and gender performativity in wicca

Abstract

The wiccan religion, often associated with the appreciation of the sacred
feminine, nature, and alternative spirituality, presents a unique approach to
gender roles when compared to traditional Western religions. This raises the
following research question: to what extent do contemporary wiccan practices
and beliefs reinforce or subvert traditional gender roles, especially with regard
to the male-female dichotomy, the inclusion of non-binary identities, and the
construction of spiritual authority? This article aims to establish gender roles and
relationships within the practice of British Traditional Wicca (BTW). As a result,
we observe that British Traditional Wicca tends to remain and maintain
traditional binary elements reflected in the representative roles of the goddess and the god during its worship, but presents growing voices of individuals who
do not identify with heteronormativity and are therefore dissidents regarding
their gender roles. There are internal tensions within wiccan communities
between practitioners who value this gender plurality and those who advocate
for non-binary or gender-fluid identities in digital spaces that increasingly
catalyze and redefine wiccan symbols, opening them up to the LGBTQIA+
community.