Witchy Archetypes [Primier]

Who is the Witch? How do we recognize her? With her broom, hat, cauldron? How do we know they identify as her? What if she was non-binary or trans? What if the Witch ID'd as a lesbian. Or someone who isn't a cis-het-white-man with a sexual appetite?

We often associate the word, "Witch" with certain elements: hat, broom, familiar, cauldron, wand, pentagram, and so on. The witch too quite often seems to be old, a woman, poor, outspoken, unliked, Catholic, antisocial, queer and/or disabled.

A witch was portrayed with boils and pimples, short, plump, aged, grey haired, barren, sick and presenting thyself with all sorts of ailments known to humans at that time. For a woman, to the patriarchal society, was nothing but an object that could be owned, showcased and often bedded. We constantly seem to demonize independent women. Nothing threatens the patriarchy more than an independent woman, especially one who has autonomy.

Centuries have passed since the Witch Trials. However, we are still living by the prejudices and beliefs stemming from medieval Europe. In a patriarchal society, a woman is nothing but property. Her only assets are beauty and reproductive ability, tolerated in conditional quantities. For the rising popularity of the Church, free will, education, independence and money with respect to women were not only frowned upon, but those possessing such assets were historically condemned.

As we experience Witch Trials today, let’s revisit the past, the politics, the perceptions that played a major role in the loss of lives by these women. Let’s draw parallels between the Witches of yesterday and those being condemned today.