So I have noticed a lot of blog posts and Internet chatter in general about the issue with gender that came up at PantheaCon. Since my reading assignment for my Multicultural Education class this week was gender and sexual orientation, I thought I would at least state my two cents. So apparently the issue was that Transwoman were not allowed to attend an all woman blessing ritual. If you know the entire story, I apologize for not going into more detail, and if you don't please feel free to look into it. The issue was that it was stated that the ritual was for "Genetic Women Only."
OK so here are my thoughts on the issue. Yes I agree that there are certain "mysteries" that are SEX specific. Yes I said sex, not gender. The difference is that sex is biological while gender is an identification and characteristics established by society. What determines our sex is hormones and biology, but what determines our gender is our connection and what society expects. So with that being said, why cant a person who self identifies as a woman, physically appears to be a woman (mostly some things just take longer to get "fixed"), lives as a woman, worships as a woman, and has female hormones, but is genetically a man receive the same blessings on HER body and spirit as someone who was born with two X chromosomes.
I understand that the ritual was performed sky clad, and that a penis would obviously *cough* stand out (no pun intended), but that is usually the only part, if any, that is "male" and many times, they ensure that it is "hidden."
Maybe I'm just TOO open-minded, but I thought that as Pagan's we were supposed to be understanding and accepting of everyone no matter what their choices were. Everyone talks about remembering the Burning Times and the persecution we experienced at the hands of Christians. How is this any different? We were persecuted because our beliefs were different from theirs. Now we are starting to do the same to our own people. Yes I understand that this particular path is Women Only, but if it had not been for it being a sky clad ritual, how would anyone have known?
Again, I do not claim to be an expert, these are just my own thoughts on this issue. Please keep this in mind should you decide to comment.
Blessed Be
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