Comments on: International Pagan Coming Out Day – May 1

By: Pagan Coming Out Day Set for May 2nd – Editorial « PNC-Minnesota Bureau

Tue, 01 Feb 2011 15:27:01 +0000

[...] for IPCOD, I am proud and excited to be part of this project, which I first proposed on the blog Pagan+politics back in June of last year. The goal of Pagan Coming Out Day is to achieve acceptance and equity for Pagans at home, at work, [...]

By: On the proposed Pagan Coming Out Day | Urban Hellenistos

On the proposed Pagan Coming Out Day | Urban Hellenistos — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 05:57:04 +0000

[...] YOU, not their fantasies about what you are or should be — it is NOT about a bunch of people “needing the approval of others”. If we truly needed “approval”, guess what? We wouldn’t be pagans! We’d be [...]

By: Ruadhán

Ruadhán — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 07:43:18 +0000

Well, if the point of Gay Pride (various weeks in June, depending on where you live, but always in June) was about coming out, there wouldn’t be National Coming Out Day in October. The general idea of the two is “NCOD is for people who feel they need to come out; Pride week is for people who are already out of the closet and headed for the front door”.

By: Ruadhán

Ruadhán — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 07:35:05 +0000

No, this “coming out deal” is a bunch of people who are tired of seeing people harassed and suffering the loss of a job because the wrong people caught them going into the wrong book store. It’s about a bunch of people who see Christians, Muslims, and Jews get nearly full leeway in wearing their religion on their heads and around their necks, but if they themselves did the same, they could very well risk losing everything.

Basically it’s about taking a stand because you’re sick and tired of local governments and social climates favouring some religions over others while paying lip-service to FREEDOM of religion.

If you don’t want to take part, that’s all well and good, nobody is making you — but don’t try and paint this idea as something that it’s not just because you don’t want to participate.

By: Ruadhán

Ruadhán — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 07:27:22 +0000

I understand your hesitation (and was actually offended the first time somebody asked me “are you family” and learned they *didn’t* mean “are you gay?” but instead meant “are you pagan?” — while both, I thought that was taking things a little far, and making it all hella confusing), but oppression is still oppression. Why should it be less oppressive to fire a man for being open as a Heathen than for being open as gay? “Coming out” is nothing more than a term used to describe an oppressive state and standing defiantly before it. Just as gays, lesbians, and bisexuals can “come out”, so can trans people in various stages of transition, so can people with invisible disabilities (indeed, it was among a disability support group that I first heard the term *outside* the gay community), and so can political and religious minorities because, like being gay or trans (for many people), or having certain still-marginalised disabilities, being a religious minority is not something that one can be oppressed for unless it’s known.

Furthermore, the language that you’re using to describe the GBLT rights movements — “sexual identity”, “sexual preference” — those terms imply choice just as much as “cultural identity” and “music preference”. If you don’t feel that sexual *orientation* is a “choice”, but a biological hard-wiring, then I seriously suggest re-thinking the language you use to describe it.

By: Ruadhán

Ruadhán — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 07:10:24 +0000

If you’re part of a path that relies on secrecy, then yes, you would be correct — but that’s doing no good for those who are on paths that are best trod upon when it’s fully integrated into their daily lives, such as “recon” religions.

By: Ruadhán

Ruadhán — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 07:08:10 +0000

That’s kind of missing the point of the sentiment, though.

Ultimately, only you and yours can decide what it the best way to address this, and nobody is talking about “outing you” without your consent — that would not only miss the point, but it would be contradictory to the spirit of the event, would would be to hopefully foster in an environment where you and yours *wouldn’t* have to worry about “business drying up”, should you choose to come out in the future. Ms Schulz was *very* careful to point out that this is not obligatory nor compulsory — but it *is* highly encouraged of those in the pagan communities who would have nothing to lose, and she was careful to imply a lot of grey in-between.

It really should go without saying that if you and yours aren’t in a position to take part in the coming year, well, there are future years.

By: Stefanie

Stefanie — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 18:53:23 +0000

I think this is a great cause, that we’re not so much being encouraged to scream from the rooftops what our religious preference is, but that we’re being asked to stand up for our rights and acknowledge the discrimination that many of us face day to day. Whatever I can do to help, my step-Mom and step-Sister would be more than happy to help as well. I’m in California if anything can be done here.

By: Brad

Brad — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 16:17:11 +0000

Think before you speak, I am Scottish and Irish deep in celtic traditions. This pagan fears no one. It’s called being a realist. You evidently haven’t lived in a third world country yet. My path is riteous which is why I let Karma do my dirty work for me. If you think you have to stand up and be accepted by the world as a pagan then evidently you are not comfortable with your own self and feel like you need acceptance. I pity you. Blessed Be

By: Brad

Brad — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 16:13:38 +0000

Whether you are gay, straight, pagan, christian, catholic, or what have ya, your preferences are you business. Too many people in the world feel like they should be respected for their decisions. Unfortunately that is not the real world. I am a combat veteran whom has traveled the world three times over. Worry about yourself and your own path. Those who do not understand you do not regulate your life. Do as you will and don’t worry about the rest. This coming out deal sounds to me like a bunch of people who aren’t comfortable with themselves and are needing approval from others. Get over it and Blessed Be.