Neopaganism and homosexuality

Throughout most of Wicca and Neopaganism, homosexuality is not considered an issue. Gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people are almost always welcomed in individual communities, covens, study groups, and circles. There are probably around the same percentage of homosexuals practicing traditional Wicca, as the percentage of homosexuals in the population at large.

One qualified exception is Gardnerian Wicca and other relatively traditional groups. Gardnerians do not make any moral judgements about homosexual people, but they usually form their covens from male-female pairs. Most traditional Wiccans worship the God and Goddess[?], and many traditional Wiccan covens are made up of equal numbers of men and women emphasizing the importance of balance between the male and female. This is sometimes a practical obstacle to gay people wishing to join those circles, but an obstacle often shared by single people. The actual sexual orientation of the individual is not an issue.

Another exception is Dianic Wicca (also known as Women's Spirituality), a branch of Wicca practiced almost exclusively by women, many of them lesbian. Dianic Wiccans worship a Goddess but no God, and form female-only covens. Many Dianic Wiccans are lesbians; Many lesbians become Dianic Wiccans as it is a religion that not only welcomes them, but treats them as the norm. Much of the literature written for Dianic Wiccans address the reader with the assumption that she is lesbian. Although Dianic Wicca consists largely of a lesbian population, heterosexual women are not in any way stigmatized or discriminated against. Dianic Wiccans perform many lesbian handfastings every year.

In the 1970's when the Dianic Wicca movement began, traditional Wiccans were often very upset by it. Dianic Wiccans were excluded from large Neo-pagan gatherings, were threatened, had their circles broken up, and in some cases attacked by non-Dianic Wiccans. It is unclear at this time whether the contention was over the exclusion of men from their beliefs, their sexual orientation, or both. The anger between the two groups died down after the 1970's and now traditional Wiccans and Dianic Wiccans frequently work side-by-side at large neo-pagan festivals.

Another branch of Wicca has provided a home for many Neo-Pagan homosexual men. The Faery Wicca tradition is very open to all sexual orientations and some sources encourage bisexuality during rituals to reach states of ecstasy. Faery Wiccan covens of gay men only have been formed and are readily accepted among the larger group of Faery Wiccans. Both heterosexual and homosexual couples are married and handfasted in Faery Wiccan ceremonies every year.

There is another predominantly gay group called the Radical Faeries, which emphasizes queer spirituality, although it is open to all.

Other Neopagan groups views of homosexuality (please add)

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See views of other religions on the topic of homosexuality on the Religion and homosexuality page