Wtf is a Pagan? And What is With all the Queer Pagans?

I have noticed among the Pagan community, there are a large number of queer Pagans.  I started to reflect about why that is.  I have a variety of theories about this.

First of all, what is a Pagan?  The definition is kind of a hard one to pin down.  Pagan was once a derogatory word used to refer to country dwellers.    Paganism includes a broad range of traditions, and can include Wicca, Druidism, Shamanism, Voudun, Santeria, Asatru, and many other traditions and beliefs.

There are a lot of reasons I believe many LGBQT people turn to Paganism.  First of all, the mainstream Christian religion hasn’t exactly made the queer community feel welcome.  Historically, the Bible has been used as a means to persecute many groups.  The Bible has been used to persecute Jews, has been used to oppress black people, and now we see persecution of the LGBQT community.  While I see change from that, there is still a lot of hatred, and nobody wants to stay where they don’t feel welcome or like they don’t fit in.

Another thought is that there is a lot of room for the “grey area” within Paganism.  Since there is no central, patriarchal religious leaders, and no central power structure, practitioners are allowed to interpret things for themselves.

There are male and female deities within Paganism, depending on the tradition.  This shows that there is a need for both, and an appreciation for both sexes.  Without one, we would not have the other.  We would not be.  And with that comes the idea of the Yin and Yang.  There is a little bit of male and female within all of us.  To the degree that is expressed varies, and I believe that Paganism largely celebrates that.

Another, similar thought I had to this affect is the triple aspect of the Goddess.  She is maiden, mother, and crone, all at the same time.  The three phases of the moon represent this.  This triple aspect can apply to gender…bear with me a second here.  Look at the symbol.  One side we can have male, and another female.  In the middle is transgender, intersex, androgynous or gender queer people.  They are all connected, they are all a part of each other.  They are all what makes up this world.  Life cannot exist without the others; we all cannot exist without each other.