From: cortese@netcom.com (Janis Maria C. C. Cortese)
Subject: Re: the relevancy of sexuality to us
Date: Fri, 10 Sep 1993 20:15:27 GMT

>>>jwas_ss@uhura.cc.rochester.edu (Jason Wasson) writes:
>>>>[First question deleted]. Is being a man or women effect how you
>>>>worship or practice the craft? [Third question deleted]

>>cortese@netcom.com (Janis Maria C. C. Cortese) writes:
>>>Well, as far as the second question goes -- yes.  For the last several
>>>thousand years, I and others of my shape have been called the devil's
>>>playthings, bags of manure covered in brocade, the means by which
>>>Man[sic] propagates himself[sic], [more of the same deleted]
>>>You can bet your sweet bippie this will affect how I practice the
>>>Craft!  

>mbb6090@u.cc.utah.edu (Maha Blanchard) writes:
>> Janis, I believe that the previous point made by Jason has more
>> validity than you allowed it. I understand and agree with your
>> points on the well known (by us) extreme oppression, discrimination
>> and abuse that women and gay's and bisexuals have
>> undergone. However, it puzzles me why you let your practice of the
>> craft be tainted and manipulated by the very ugliness which you hate
>> so much.

"Let" my Craft be "tainted" with the acknowledgement of a reality that
has impacted my life as a woman from the word go?  I'm not crying
victim here, I'm saying what the world is like.  If you don't
understand why this impacts my Craft, too bad.

ceci@lysator.liu.se (Cecilia Henningsson) writes:
> I'm not Janis, but like her I feel that my Craft is being affected
> by sexism, racism, class oppression etc. The reason I feel that way
> is that I live in this world permeated by these Ugly Isms(tm). I
> live here and I practise my religion here, and I want my religion to
> be relevant in my daily interaction with other people who live here.

Indeed.  Why do we let relations between men and women be "tainted" by
the "ugly" truths of sexism?  Why do gay people let their lives be
"tainted" by the "ugly" truths of homophobia and hatred?

Simple.  Because they ARE.  I'm not going to stick my head in the sand
and say things are jes' peachy when they aren't.  This business about
my "letting" this happen is a crock.  It's a large part of life for a
great number of human beings, and my spirituality must reflect my
life.  Just because you think it's a taint, why should I alter my
practice of the Craft?  *I* don't consider it a taint; I consider it
reclaiming something of myself that I've been forced to do without for
far too long.

What you're saying is like someone saying to a doctor, "Why must you
insist on studying for a cure for cancer?  You're being so negative
"letting" this rule your profession.  The world would be better off
without cancer; why are you concentrating on it?"

>> 	Are we to rise out of this blind view held by the Christian
>> religious machinery only to seek vengence and pronounce judgement?

> Janis doesn't say anything about vengeance and judgement. She did
> say, in an assertive way, that it affected her Craft, but that's not
> the same thing. There are other responses to oppression than getting
> even.

To a typical Western dualist, any attempt to get away from something
must be because the other alternative is actively hated and sought for
destruction.  Trying to reclaim my sexuality and spirituality as a
woman must needs mean that I hate anything else and want to destroy
it.

To a Western dualist, that is.  But then, I'm not a Western dualist.

>> By all that is sacred to us I hope not. We know that path all to
>> well.  Be mad, claim the power that is yours by right of creation
>> (and gender) but try to practice your craft free of the
>> encumberances of the thousands + years of manipulation of the
>> religious body-politic.

In other words, close your eyes, refuse to see the world as it is, and
lie.

Why are so many Pagans also into ecology and the environment?  Why do
you have to battle for this so much?  Try to practice your craft free
of the thousands of years of manipulation by industry!  Just pretend
everything is okay.

You might be able to pretend that sexism doesn't exist, but I'm not so
fortunate.

>In my opinion, being so assertive as Janis is here, is precisely what
>you ask for. She's outspoken, angry, and definitely not lady-
>like. Feel the power!
>On another note, I believe that if we want to practise a religion that
>is based in our space-time, we can't just ignore what is going on
>around us, with us and inside of us. 

Absolutely.  What POSSIBLE use is a spirituality if it won't help me
deal with the problems I have to confront in my daily life?  Such a
spirituality would be a saccharine lie, good for nothing except
playing lets's-pretend.  My life involes danger from sexism and
misogyny; I'm sorry if this bothers you, but I have to deal with it
every single time I have to cross a parking lot at night to pick up my
car.  This is an everpresent fixture in my life and the lives of many
women -- we are made to seem stupid, weak, temptresses, evil, whores
or mommies.  How can you seriously ask that I practice my Craft as if
this didn't exist?  This is the reality of life for many women, and my
Craft will reflect my life.

I am reclaiming myself.  My Craft will help me do that.  My life
involves discrimination against me purely because I pee sitting down.
My Craft either reflects my life (and that) as well, or it has no
relevance to me and hence is useless.

>> BTW, I do feel that there are differences in tone and expression
>> inherent in the way the three genders practice magic and
>> spirituality. I think that What Jason was trying to say is...  Focus
>> on the intent, the heart and the integrity, Not the sexual
>> preference and accompanying genitalia.

This is like saying that you have to live a "positive" life when you
have cancer, so don't go to the doctor to get treatments.  There comes
a time when the disease is bad enough that treatment is required.
Like I said before, you don't cure an injustice by closing your eyes
and plugging your ears and pretending it doesn't exist.

Blessings,
Janis