Current mood:	thoughtful
Current music:	Elton John - Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting
Entry tags:	transgender, witchcraft

Convocation, Part VI: Sunday
Today was the last day of Convocation. I was looking forward to it because my first class was Chris Penzack's Conversations on Gay Witchcraft. Which was very cool. I like Chris, he is very approachable and down to earth. Not to mention cute. How is it that they gay boys are always the ones that make a girl's heart beat faster? I asked several women that, and they all were in complete agreement.

We had another round circle sit-down, and started out with introductions all around. This time started out by describing myself as a Semnotatoi of Hekate, and explained that was a transsexual priestess. I also went on to say how glad I was to be in a class about Queer magic, and rambled on a bit about how special we Queer folk have always been because of our different natures.

Chris talked a lot about how Witches and Shamen in general are all Edgewalkers (cool term he says he stole from somewhere that he can no longer remember!), or Walkers Between the Worlds, and how we Queer folk are even more so. Because were are on the edge of even the Pagan community. It was nothing new to me, but was refreshing was just sitting around with a group of other GLBT magicians and talking about our own Mysteries. I have said before that Pagans are more enlightened than others, but even among pagans were are still in many ways Outsiders because of how mainstream Paganism is so very hetero-centric and polarly dual-gendered.

He talked about Male and Female energy, which is of course not simply that of genitalia, but rather a metaphysical principle of the polarity of energies. The genders we put on them are simply symbolic, to help people easily grasp the ideas they represent. Everyone has those male and female energies in them, in different amounts. We Queer folk are the ones with it in very different ratios than normal is all. That is what makes us special by placing us outside the normal. Makes us the Great Trickster or Great Fool, who sees societies for what they are by not being inside, and hopefully is able to teach through our example of not fitting in.

It was a good talk. One thing that tugged at my heart was a lesbian teen named Russell, who was in junior high school. She is openly gay, and takes a lot of crap for other students. She had trouble controlling her anger, and almost threw a garbage can at someone who was harassing her. Which is not good because she is the one who will get expelled if she does. However, she also related that she often gets notes secretly slid into her locker by other girls who tell her that they are lesbian too, and that they look up to her for being so brave.

Yeah, I can relate. After the class I was able to catch up to her in the hallway and talk to her some. I tried to cheer her up by pointing out that those students who slip her the notes see her as a role-model, and that she is helping them deal with their issues by being so public. That she is important to them, and that she can draw strength from that value they place upon her. As I have done online with the many people who have privately confided in me that they are GLBT, but cannot say so in public forums (like the old Dumpshock and Underworld ones) yet. She also agreed that gay boys like Chris are hot.

Something unusual also happened. Someone came to me for advice. He is a man who has found Hekate in his visions, and has been scared silly by her. I did my best to counsel him. I suspect that he needs to deal with his fear of something. Maybe face his own shadow self, and that is what Hekate is meaning for him in her actions. She loves us, one and all, especially us outsiders and misfits, but her love can be a very tough love at times, and she can kick pretty hard in the pants to get someone moving. I hope I helped. I meant to catch up with him later and get his email, but I lost track of him.

I also was able to get my picture taken with Chris afterward. Not with my camera but with his. He said if it did not get posted to his website that I could email him for it. He also mentioned to me and the other priest of Hekate that they were talking about possibly doing a ritual in honor of Hekate next year at Convocation, and that he would like us to be part of leading it if they do. I said absolutely yes, even though the idea daunts me terribly.

Kerr had another class on Coming Out as a Witch that I went to, where I met up with the two women Kim and Denise from Saturday night. We had actually talked a lot when I first got there in the morning, and then a little more after Kerr's class. They invited me to come out to stay with them anytime, and I am sure they meant it. Which was cool. We also did a picture at the masquerade saturday night, which Denise will be emailing to me. So we can keep in touch that way too. I like them, and hope to see more of them in the future.

I stuck around for the closing ritual. I was hoping to spend some more time with lorrraine some more, but I could not find her. She was in Chris' gay class, but by the time I was done helping the one guy with his Hekate situation and getting the picture with Chris she was gone. I never did find her after that. Oh well, I know where her live journal is at least.

All in all, it was a good thing. I highly recommend that the other pagans in the area go (that means you xchimux and centralvampire). Yeah, I know it is pricey, but it is more than worth it. I learned so much, and I actually made some new contacts, as well as renewed some old ones. It was simply awesome. Going back to work and the world of muggles Monday is not going to be easy after this weekend...