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What is Pagan Pride? Like gays, lesbians, and bisexuals, Pagans cannot always live their lives openly and honestly because of the fear that surrounds them. Because the issues and goals are similar -- to reduce societal xenophobia until no one needs to hide his or her "difference", whether that be who he loves or who he worships -- when I wanted to start a movement to promote understanding and acceptance of Pagan spiritualities, the phrase "Pagan Pride" came immediately to mind. Far from trying to either steal from or invalidate Gay Pride, Pagan Pride owes a deep debt of gratitude to the Gay Pride movement for its achievements. We hope we can improve attitudes towards earth-based spiritual practices as much as Gay Pride has towards sexual orientations. Through our information resources, public events, and media contacts, we hope to challenge intolerance through education. While some people feel that the phrase "Pagan Pride" is too confrontational, the result accomplished through the word "Pride" in the gay/lesbian community is an effective phrase to communicate how we feel. We will not hide in the shadows any longer, practicing our spirituality privately because we fear reprisals from members of monotheistic religions. We are not ashamed of the Gods we reverence and the ways we celebrate! We are coming "out of the broom closet". Ours is not a path for everyone; you are encouraged to practice what spirituality you will. But we now claim the right to take pride in what we practice. © 1998 Cecylyna Dewr. Permission to use in connection with Pagan Pride specifically granted |
| Why Pagan Pride Canada We're never going to be able to practice our spiritual paths openly if we don't give the public accurate information about what we do and do not do. Also, we're never going to be able to practice openly if we don't know anyone else in our local Pagan communities. We need to weave networking webs in our cities, in our towns, in our rural areas. We need these webs to support one another. Here in Canada, we are weaving that web. ALL internet website terms, definitions, style, content and information © Copyright Pagan Pride Canada & The International Pagan Pride Project |