A Queer History of Witchcraft (feat. Marion Gibson)

Wait, what’s so gay about witches, you ask?

First of all — sit down.

When I was a young f/hag in the late ’90s, Wicca was having a moment. The Halliwell sisters ruled the WB, Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock were burying men in their back gardens, and I gobbled the GAGathon down with glee.

Only later did I realize what made these witchy bitchies so alluring: it wasn’t (just) that they were different — it was that they were powerful.

Outsiders who could fight back. Like the X-men...or democratic socialists.

But were they always outsiders? No! In the ancient world, everyone dabbled in magic. Pagans love a hag with a herb garden.

Then Christianity came along and ruined everything. AS ALWAYS.

By the 20th century, witchcraft was beginning to mean "freedom" to a lot of repressed Westerners. Which might explain why nearly half of Wiccans today identify as queer.

Join us for this Halloween special as we trace The Craft™ from ancient love spells to Victorian occultists, with brilliant guest Professor Marion Gibson.

Together we ask:

🧙‍♀️ When did “wise women” in the woods become “evil hags”?

🔥 Why did we burn so many witches?

🌍 How did colonialism export Europe’s hag-phobia worldwide?

💅 And how did queer people turn witchcraft into a symbol of defiance, glamour, and spiritual fulfilment?

So come on in, the cauldron-water is human temperature.

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Episode Credits

Written and hosted by Bash

Edited by Alex Toskas

Produced by Dani Henion

Guest: Professor Marion Gibson