Witchy Stereotypes

Sexy, Dark & Bloody Fiction --

Pagan Culture's 3rd Blogoversary Party

Happy Blogoversary to Pagan Culture! 3 years is pretty impressive, so I'm joining the party and adding my own post. I love the theme she's picked, stereotypes of witches in fiction. I've got a list of grievances on that particular subject longer than this blog will probably allow but I'm gonna give it a shot. I thought about writing a short story but finally settled on a little bit of rant, because really that's what it would end up turning into anyways, and that's what I'm good at.

• "Warlocks are male witches" One of my biggest pet peeves whether it be in a book, t.v. show, or movie is when they call a male witch a warlock. I don't know why but it really, really gets under my skin. I've always heard the definition of warlock to be traitor or oath breaker and it's quite possible I'm wrong but I really don't see why male and female witches need different titles. At least in Harry Potter they're called wizards.. that's something.
• "Witches worship, sell their souls to, and are in league with.. Satan" A cliche, but one that is still widely used. The show Supernatural is especially guilty of this one. I get the feeling that either the writers or producers are Christian, and it really pains me that they keep perpetuating this myth because I really like the show.
• "Halloween is when witches worship the God of the dead named Sam Hain" This one is so painfully stupid that it makes my blood boil. Supernatural is guilty of this one too, but they aren't the only ones.
• "All witches only worship only a Goddess and are nothing more than hippie, feminist, man haters" To me anyone who honestly believes this is just willfully ignorant. I don't like labeling myself a feminist. I'm an equalist. Of course I think women are amazing, powerful, and full of potential, but so aren't men. No gender has the monopoly on being awesome. Just because witches believe women are as good as men doesn't mean we think they're better or that we hate men.
• "You are only a witch if you've been initiated by one, or born into a family of witches" This myth is perpetuated by fiction, witches, and non witches alike. It frustrates me that there is this misconception among some that unless you're initiated by another Witch, your not really a Witch. I'm a Witch because I respect the old ways, I honor nature, I feel the change of the seasons and the waxing and waning of the moon in my blood, I respect others rights to feel and believe in whatever way brings them peace, and because I accept the divine feminine and masculine in all of us. Not because someone told me I was.
• "Good witches wear white and bad witches wear black" Wouldn't it be so easy if we could tell who was good or bad based on the color of their clothing. While this is a milder stereotype it's still fairly annoying. Similar to this one is..
• Good witches only align them selves with light, life, day time and good and bad witches only align themselves with dark, death, night time and evil" A little convoluted I know, but this is pretty common. They seem to think there's no gray area. Most witches I know accept balance, you know, light and dark. We bathe in the sun and moonlight. The only good or evil that truly exists is in the intention, not what we wear, own, or associate with.
• "All witches are psychic or have magical powers" Not all witches even believe in psychics, just like not all people that believe in psychics are witches. It's an interest, and just because they're are a lot of witches who are more open to metaphysical interests doesn't mean they all possess special abilities or are experts on them.

This is just a sampling of the stuff that really gets under my skin, I could go on for days but then I wouldn't get anything else done. What are some stereotypes that piss you off? We all love a good rant!