on a more serious note

[LunarWind]

As pagans many of are descriminated against @ school or the work place. I am preparing a quasi-research paper, on descrimination, and id appriciate it if every one could fill out this poll, and it would be a big if you could share a story or two(or more if you please) about an experience you have had w/decrimination. thanks alot, and many blessing around this speacial time of the year
-blessed be-
~*lunarWind*~ :shift:

[Radocs]

Are we talking just religious discrimination or any discrimination?

[LunarWind]

specifically for being a pagan

[Radocs]

Thanks for clearing that up. :)

I've never been discriminated (man that word's a pain to type >_<) against because I'm Pagan, but not because my town is tolerant... quite the contrary. I just don't tell anyone outside the people I trust that I'm pagan. I suppose I could say that my parents and friends are very tolerant. They haven't treated me any differently since I told them and my mom (she's Catholic by the way) was very supportive. ^_^

[slovene_gds]

MM all~
Hey LunarWind!!! YES, i have, as you know!
I was walking home from school, pentagram on my neck, and mthe MAILMAN of all people walked by me and said, "You dirtbag Pagan...." so I decided to get him back, as i love to do, and replied, "I hope you deliver anthrax!" The look on his face was something I'll never forget!

BB~
Bast

[Sequoia]

LOL!!! I like your quick thinking ^_~

Personally. . . I can't really think of a time I've been discriminated against. . . but I dono if it's terribly obvious that I'm pagan or not. I don't usually wear a pentacle (used to, but it ran away).

My dad seems to think it's a bad idea. I'm not sure why. He says it's because he thinks I'll be associated with bad people, but. . . I think maybe he's scared because he doesn't understand who I am. My mom. . . -_-; I have no clue. At least she's not ranting about it. My little brother wants me to cast fireballs and stuff. He's 15, he should know better, but. . . -_-;; I guess it just depends a lot on how obvious it is that you're pagan, and how much the people around you understand what that really means.

[Myst]

Discrimination? Hah. :) My family is supportive about it, my in laws are supportive (and two of my sisters in law are Pagan), I have a couple dozen Pagan friends, I've never been prejudiced against and I've worn a pentacle necklace and/or ring for years. In fact I see more discrimination against people who aren't Pagan (ie. Christians, Muslims, etc.) then against those who *are*.

[white_draco]

Yea, I get discriminated alot. Recently I went on a trip to Raleigh and my "friend" said my necklace which was the Zodiac Signs going around in a Cycle with a Dragon in middle was Satanic. He said that to me in the mall and ignored it, then he went on and said that the Cross he just bought was better then mine...I ignored that too.

BUT when we got to the Art Museum he just went too far, he just kept on repeating that mess over and over. So I told him that the Cross came way before Chrisitanity, way way before. Then I went on to say that I don't even believe in Satan and he needed to go out and do some research instead of believing everything in Christianity and in the Bible. Then I went even further to say that usually the "Christian Cross" had a towel-rope thing thrown on the 2 sides to represent Jesus.

After this my other friend joined in and he told him off too, saying that the Inverted Pentagram is used by Satanists and the Pentagram is more commonly used by Wiccans.

Then my misinformed friend went on to say after all that crap that his cross isn't a Christian cross it's a Polish Cross.

Another experience happened in my 9th Grade Year of High School. My Principles of Business teacher said that the things in this Pagan Magazine were of the Devil. I had to laugh to cover the tears, but she didn't really care of scarring my feelings. Anyways this year she's going through menopause so I'm not feeling all that mad for what she said cause now she's going through her own problems.

People who are ignorant and intolerant are usually the ones who are misinformed and delusional. They forget that they have a mind to think. They think with their ears, whatever the Youth Pastor or Parents say is right, they think is right. That isn't always true. Maybe in another world all people will decide to give a damn about education.


- White Draco -

[Sora]

Yes. Not only at school, but at home. My friends are lovely, supportive, though those who I've mannaged to cross seem to point and say witch behind my back. My parents, my father in specific, condemns me and my path.

[StormChaser]

As a kid growing up in a prodimantly Irish Catholic and Roman Catholic HIGHLY political city *Quincy Ma* I was tormented. Of course it didn't help that my father LOVED to wear religion on his sleeve and go into the school comanding that they recognize all faiths if they recognize won, and raising a royal rucus.

When i was a teenager though i found that the making fun of discrimination only occured when I pressed my case like he did.
But i did find TRUE discrimination within the administration of the school when it came down to getting my holidays off and my disgust with certain procedures *a prayer group* being there and teachers talking god talk. I fought and won all those real battles thanks to a few findings on ACLU and bringing up a few court cases and siting how easy it would be for me, and how much heck it would be for them.

[MistOfTheSea86]

Originally posted by Myst
Discrimination? Hah. :) My family is supportive about it, my in laws are supportive (and two of my sisters in law are Pagan), I have a couple dozen Pagan friends, I've never been prejudiced against and I've worn a pentacle necklace and/or ring for years. In fact I see more discrimination against people who aren't Pagan (ie. Christians, Muslims, etc.) then against those who *are*.


Good point...

[StormChaser]

You've got to pick your battles. As a kid I took the heat for what was honestly right. My father WAS right in everything he said to the schools. Was his method good... no. But the outcome would have been the same whether he had done it right or not. The PTA sticks together. If you've seen practical magick, you'll understand the type of town i grew up in.

When I moved to NJ i went to a VERY open minded, liberal, and diverse school. I said I was a pagan and i got asked "what pantheon do you study". Heck, in 6th grade *the year I started there* we read greek myths, D'eaurus Book of infact. A book I had read when I was 6.. but i was SHOCKED this was being read in school!


I moved again to a much less tolerant area, then again to an even MORE less tolerant area. But by the time i got to the last school, i knew who i was, and where i was going, and how to handle those who would aim daggers at me upon finding out who I was. *i had learned to conceal it until it was necessary or "alright" to bring up.. i guess "tact" had found me*

But by this time, I had changed physically too. i wasn't a skinny little girl with no means to defend herself. I was the sultry tiger I am now. The girls hated me for the fact that the boys liked me. The boys liked me and were deathly afraid of me.. because one of the jocks made the mistake of picking on a girl smaller than he, and wound up with a basket ball smacking him in the head*he had done it to her 3 times in the teachers presense*.. and then wound up on the floor when he went to punch me. *ahh tae kwon do*. The teacher didn't care about that either.
I asserted myself. I got called Kung Fu Lesbian... but I liked it. I told them Tae Kwon Bi would be better and m ore fitting, but you just can't teach the illiterate anything.

*sighs*
My friends, who range from athiest to jahovas witless *he loves that, so i can say it*, are all FRIENDS. They like me for me, not regardless of, but in conjunction with, my oddities and differences from mass society.

Eventually the little guy finds his voice and his strength, when he does those who hurt him cannot.. they are stripped of power.
Discrimination, in the end, is what you make of it.

[yemayasdaughter]

Well, I am an overweight, African-American Pagan woman living in Giuliani New York... so I have been discriminated for many things, but not my religion, thank the Goddess. But I do believe that there is a lot of ignorant people out there, who like to blame Pagans for the problems of the world.

Its really hard, especially for my Pagan brothers and sisters that are in their teens (in highschool.. where they terrorize you if they dont like your jeans !!!) I just hope that there will never be another Tempest Smith, again. Its a shame that their scorn caused her to take her life away.

So, I think there is discrimination against Pagans everywhere, including in the media. I mean, look at Jerry Falwell, who had the audacity to say that all non Christians, all homosexuals, and everyone who didnt share his limited beliefs were the cause of our recent terrorist attack. AND... I saw that the 700 Club dedicated an entire episode to the "dangers of Harry Potter". Saying that the books and the movie are enticing children, and letting "the bad guys" (read: Pagans) corrupt children into joining the life style.

SOAP BOX TIME: Excuse me... but the last time I received a pamplet on the subway it was NOT a Pagan organization is was So and So Church of Jesus Christ...

Okay, back on the subject now... (sorry... sometimes the Brooklyn Black Girl syndrome gets me)

So... yeah. There is discrimination towards Pagans. :D

[clef0628]

I'm not sure if this counts. My boss believes to get to heave one must believe in and God and be a good person. He stated this, of course not knowing I was pagan. But, I have had people say things like "I should not say that I don't believe in God (Being the Christian God)" or "I'll pray for you." It does not bother me as much as it use too.

[Haedis]

Well for one, my own Grandpa told me I was going to burn in hell because of my religious beliefs. Several times at school people have also "kindly" informed me that I was going to hell. Also I have an aunt who's a nun who refuses to speak to me when i wear pentagrams. Nothing too major, but I've gotten ALOT of ignorant comments.

[beatleshippie]

i get teased, called witch (its ok in my point of view it's a complement) and pointed at ALOT in school and i can't stand it when people say that the pentagram is bad but i don't really care anymore because i found a handfull of pagans at school they are very cool and understanding. :) :) :)

[yemayasdaughter]

Originally posted by beatleshippie
i get teased, called witch (its ok in my point of view it's a complement)

Good for you, Beatleshippie!! :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :sunny: :sunny:

[Adrenaline Junkie]

Once or twice. I'm "out of the broomcloset" to some people, but not to others. My close friends and my mom and sister know. But not very many other people.

[Kaylara]

I don't hide my religion one bit. Everyone at work knows I'm pagan, and they have fun with it, but it's not descrimination at all. They call me their resident witch and ask for potions and stuff when they aren't feeling good.

When I was in school, some people went out of their way to try to make me miserable. The only problem with that is that they would do things like call me a witch. *Ooo! Ow, that one hurt*
LMAO! There were people who I didn't even know who were deathly afraid of me, but ahhh well. I tried clearing that up. I also helped a bit by doing a presentation my sophmore year on the religious practices of modern pagans, and the ancient roots of some of the holidays and symbolism in todays world. The class and the teacher loved it, and were asking me questions for the next three days.

The best people were the History wing teachers who liked me for my enthusiasm when it came to history, psychology, sociology, and anthropology. We could talk about different pagan practices and cultures for hours!

So I guess over all, yes we will get some religious discrimination, but I've not experienced the kind of violent and truely harmful discrimination that many people have.

Kaylara

[dragonmagic64]

good :D evil :devil:
:evilway: :loveduv:
Descrimination :eek:
know your surroundings
if your looking for a war, then go to the bible belt , dress in black with a big silver pentagram painted on the back. a broom in hand, in july not october.
Yes hate is alive and well in america:flamer:. all caused from ignorance.
it is time we start taking alittle responsibility . When someone is reacting to the way we are dressed , it is out of fear and misunderstanding. Throw in a little brain washing from the brain washed enviroment of parent and pastor and you have our current state. Hate stems from fear, pain. The fight or flight syndrom. Generally you don't solve it instantly .
If we are a little more enlightened shouldn't we take care when dealing with those still asleep.:zzz:
there will always be :uzi: hate :meanface: anger raised eyebrows :eyebrow:
it's here and going to stay.
you won't change the world.
doesn't mean you shouldn't try to enlighten those close to you .
dress down alittle, don't wear the sign that says :smoke: look at me , I'm the devil.
well unless you want too.:rotfl:.
YOur beliefs are yours. If you find the mormans jahova's ,, etc upsetting and offensive, guess what your really messing with the heads of a far less tolorent populas.
thank the powers that be that we live in a time that we don't get the torch. :flamer:
I'll take my witch well done please. :( :ugh::dis:
I'm not saying hide who you are, just understand the limitaions of those around you , and defend, don't attack. That way your not helping the hate just keeping it at bay. :smooch:
Besides we come in all shapes, sizes,sexs,colors.
there is no real outside signs to signify our belief systems, except those which WE choose to wear. We are one of the few who choose , through our attire to bring descrimination upon ourselves. Not that its right for the populas to treat us any differently, but then again remember the days of lions , and gladiators.:bug: . :evilway: :dis:
do what thou wilt, shall be the whole of the law.:blushake::devil:

[WolfWoman]

Well, let's see, since I only came out of the closet a few years ago:

Dad's okay with it, sister doesn't understand it, mother doesn't even know (ah, we don't talk much anyways). I've lost a few friends (obviously not real friends), gained some beautiful ones. Truthfully, I honestly think the only real discrimination I've seen so far is at work. A few of the women won't even come near me, much less talk to me, and I do get teased sometimes. It's taken awhile to learn how not to get upset by it, but I figure it this way, people scorn and make fun of things they don't understand... and that's not my problem if they don't want to know.

[Scott]

i've had to really explain my Jewgan (pagan jew) belifes a few times...but most of my friends are pretty understanding :D

[JuNiPeR]

When I was in school, no one really gave me a rough time. The people that gave me a really bad time about Witchcraft were people I was close to :(

[Imagi]

Can't say I've ever been discriminated against for my religion . . . My mom is perfectly happy for me, my dad is a little skittish (but accepting of it), the only people I let in are those I am close to because they're the only ones whose opinion of me actually counts for anything, IMHO. Anyone who can't accept me for me can kiss my lilly-white-@$$ :D

[NeoPhoenix]

Well considering I don't have any friends, they can't discriminate me, but my family does all the time.... People are just crule. :(

[Ganga]

I have actually lost one friend because of my belief. She chose to make snide remarks about religions in general (she's an atheist) and phone to someone in the Educational ministry about the fact that we're homeschooling (no problem came from that to us, of course, since we are properly registered, etc.). Finally I just cut all the contact with her. That is the only sad incident, if we don't count the old lady who used to live next to us and occasionally kick our kids' snowmen in anger (perhaps they looked heathen to her...) Mostly people are nice.

[manstranger]

discrimination, no. Benefits, yes (the person that could name the most gods and goddesses in english when we where studying them got 5 extra credit points, we had 20 minutes *grin*, the closest one only had 34. I had 89 or 90 .. forget, sorry).

But also teasing, which doesn't really get in my way to much unless you let it.

The Football Team: Hey, witch, can you conjure us up some ice cream. *snickers, chuckles, and roaring laugh from the freaky kid*

Me: What flavor? *walks away*

Its pretty fun, sometimes.

Airhead Girl: I'm having trouble with my b/f (my name), can you make me a love potion?

Me: I just made one for him and his b/f, darn it!

That was gold. Sometimes it causes problems the next day tho :eek: .

[savian]

I have to say no one has openly said any thing but when they see my tattoo of the mother, maiden and crone they seem to act different. Maybe it's me I don't know. I'm also 6'3 and over 200 pounds so that may have something to do with it also :)

[Ardwinna]

Actually, I have been very lucky! :) My parents are very supportive of my beliefs, and my friends think that it is interesting. Once I was talking with a friend and a teacher about religion (I don't remember why), and my teacher asked me what my religion was. I told him I was Pagan, and he didn't react at all, good or bad. I was glad for that. No surprise even. Maybe people around here are more tolerant. I don't know, but no one has ever had a problem with my religion.

Yay! :D

[MUNKEe-Zer0]

Well, I live in a town where the adults are redneck bastards, the kids are brats, and the peers are pretty new-age.

I don't hang around the adults or kids, and most of my peers are from Cali, land of the open minders, so it's all good for me. However, I have a couple of stories.


I was waiting for the bus one day and a redneck standing next to me pointed to my necklace (a very beat-up pentacle) and opened his slow, corn-chip filled mouth. "What's that symbol mean?"

"Oh, it symbolizes Witchcraft."

"Oh, you can do all that?"

"Well, it's more of a religion than a hobby, but yes. I can 'do' all that."

I know it doesn't sound like anything major, but I get s**t like that all the time from adults. If there are any rednecks reading this, here's what I say. "I have a religion, not a hobby!"


When I was working at Arby's (Goddess, help me), I had THE most narrow minded female you'd ever meet as a boss.

"Hey MUNKEe (she didn't actually call me that, but I'm not giving my name away on the 'net), do you think so-and-so is going to Heaven or Hell?"

"I don't realy believe in Heaven or Hell."

"Really? What happens after you die, then?"

"Well, I'm a little sketchy on the subject, but from what I hear your soul waits in the Summerland for a while before being reincarinated."

Now she proceeds to criticize it. I think she doesn't realize she's hurting my feelings, so I point it out to her.

"Yeah, so? Got anything else about your religion I can make fun of?"

TO MY FACE!

Anyway, she gave me crap like that for a while, and even convinced her son, who came in to Arby's occasionally, and was only in Elementary, that I deserved to be tormented. And so he did.

I'm still looking for another job. I hear Braum's is hiring...

:mad: :wah:

[MUNKEe-Zer0]

Q) What's worse than someone who discriminates blatantly to your face?

A) Someone who discriminates PASSIVELY to your face.


My brother brought one of his friends over (they're both in their mid-twenties). He saw my Pentacle and proceeded with the bulls**t.

Him: What's that Satan symbol?

Me: It's actually not Satanic, it symbolizes Witchcraft.

Him: Uh... Why?

Me: Because I'm a Witch...

Him: (Laughs in surprise, like the dolt he is) That's a bad religion.

Me: How is it bad? :eyebrow:

Him: (Laughs again) You'll see... (Leaves)

No, he didn't run away, he was just about to leave anyway. My only guess is that he had a bad experience with the Craft, or he's buying in to all the propoganda.

Whatever.

[Piperbunny]

The only discrimination I get for my beliefs is from my friend who's a Christian. It's stupid really - just tells me how bad it is and how I'm going to hell and that it's from the Devil! I've given up tryin to explain to him and let him tell me these things. It makes no difference any more

[MagickHLHgurl]

I have been in school....techers who saw my pentagram nd knew me would ask if i was gonna blow thing up at prom or make thisngs move.....kids would ask me why i worsip "the devil" ahh the life of a tenager

[cybadiva]

It's weird - when I was at school (I wasn't Pagan then) I was taunted and discriminated against all the time (and called 'witch' ironically) because I dyed my hair unusual colours, wore unusual jewellry, had piercings, etc, etc. I've recently started reading deeply into Pagan religion and practices and have told my friends and family about this interest, no one has expressed the remotest surprise, and in fact two of my friends have said that they are Pagan too. Mind you I still get abuse in the street for having pink hair/tattoos/piercings blah blah - but thats just water off a ducks back now! I've not mentioned anything to people at work tho' - I'll try it and see what happens:eyebrow:

I'm very sorry to hear about the cr@p that some of you people have had to put up with tho' - especially Neophoenix, what you posted made me very sad:( . I hope you find some friends who'll love you for the person you are.

[Mythrel]

I marked (sometimes) because I have been living in Colorado Springs for the last few years and there is a large pagan community there and so tolerance is much better...
but I imagine the (yes, all the time) will apply soon since I have since moved into the midwest again...life should be interesting at least

[Earthcup]

ehhh... some dirty looks and ignorant comments. Being in the "broom closet" I don't really stand out. I've also gotten a few positive comments on my jewelry and books I buy. It evens out.

If I was very openly Pagan? hmmm.. I wouldn't fear for my life ;) but it could make things uncomfortable for me around my family and at work.

[StormChaser]

Want funny.. She tells the kids at school shes a witch. they say "Nuh-uh"

Well Samhain rolls around and the topic of witchcraft abounds...
Tabitha *my friends daughter, named after the show Bewitched's little witch girl* tells the class that witches dont have green faces etc... she'd know cuz she is a witch!

The Kids say "nu-uh" and a classroom battle ensues. A few days later on Samhain *halloween* the teacher determines will be a good time to settle the debate. Infront of the whole class she asks Tabitha's mom "Tabitha says that you are witches" Lisa *the mom* says Lisa says "We are. Well actually Tabitha is not a Witch yet, that is what we call our clergy. But I am"

The teacher nearly died she had expected Lisa to refute that they were witches and "comfort" the children.

:lol:

[Earthcup]

That is funny... I could just imagine my teachers faces!

[Twilight Garden]

My husband's ex-wife tried to get primary custody of her daughter by saying I am a witch, even though prior to the custody battle she practiced Dianic. Obviously it didn't work. :rolleyes: He still has primary custody. That's pretty much my only experience with real discrimination.

[shnen]

today was my first time feeling a tad awkward...
went to a local bookstore, to the witchcraft section... I was scanning throught the books... you wouldn't believe the looks I got! then when I got in line every one started moving away from me... I thought it was humourous... oh well, their loss!

[PhoenixTwilight]

I lived in a christian city while I was growing up.. and I've been awake to the mystic side of life since before I can remember... my own mother hates me simply because I'm a mystic... (we still don't talk). In school, I've had people pick fights with me because of my pentacle (how christian of them), I've been tripped, had things thrown at me, spit at.. and as far as I'm concerned, I thank every single person for what they did, because it opened my eyes up further about how being open-minded is a virtue that people either neglect or are blind to.. and made me wish more that people could be more excepting towards others' choices...

:rolleyes:

[Phoenix Blue]

Quoth PhoenixTwilight:
In school, I've had people pick fights with me because of my pentacle (how christian of them), I've been tripped, had things thrown at me, spit at..

I would attribute this to adolescent immaturity. Not all Christians are bullies, and not all bullies are Christian.

[PhoenixTwilight]

:cool: There's a store near by where I live.. it's a craft sotre, called Pearls... now, most of the people that WORK in Pearls are pagan.. heck, a few of them tend to scare away customers... now while this isn't a discrimination experience for myself, I witnessed a girl who worked there get the book thrown at her... old christian lady screaming up and down at this poor girl.. and why?... because of black nailpolish...

Can I ask what this world is coming to?

[Myst]

They're called Fundies.

They exist in every religion.

I actually know a lot more Pagan fundies then Christian. It's kind of sad; at least we know we won't go to some eternally damned place for letting people think differently.

[Felidae]

Once I went to a dinner with four "friends" and was designated to provide dessert. I scratch-baked two pies, cherry and blueberry, and brought them along.
The two friends that were hosting the dinner are very fundamentalist (and very into Disney), and refused to eat the pies I had brought!
Part of me laughed at this, but part of me was very hurt and angry, too...
The other two friends took the pies home and (presumably) ate them later.

[Storm]

hmmm< I live in a big city where no one gives a rip about what Other people are doing. I have nosy neighbors but my pentacle is usually under my shirt. I am considered a weirdo and a bit crazy anyway but I thrive on it. If I had money I'd be eccentric:). But it is for who I am not how I dress. I look like Natalie Wood but am a jeans and T-shirt girl. So they like to look at me but think I am a freak. I like to freak out the 14 year olds who gravitate toward my yard in the summer. My dad is just plain giddy and my mom thought it was a joke..and a bad one. My sister thinks it's great for me. But then it really isn't a new concept for any of us, it just now has a name.

[materra]

I lost a job I really liked about 12 yrs ago because I finally came out of the broom closet. My boss fired me. She also made a big stink about it for unemployment...which really angered me as I had kids to support. I won my unemployment denial and was told that I could file a lawsuit. But never did due to money issues.

I swore I would be out from then on, but fortunately reality set in. I didn't put it on my resume. I got a job soon after. Actually, it is with the company I am still in now, in a differant state. The best part was I got a major income jump. My income almost doubled over nite. Unreal...it was great for us. So her hatefulness became a good thing, and it was threefold as far as I can figure over all. I am pretty much out at my job...I follow a don't ask don't tell policy. My jewelry is all custom designed by me and my friends, so that pretty much tells folks I am not an ordinary person. I look like a middleaged, gray haired middle class lady who is fun to be around. So I have a good working relationship with most of my collegues, many much younger than I.

As for my childhood, I was an artist from the get go and where I came from that was as suspect as my Mother being able to witch water...so I can't really say if it was the pagan pieces or the artist part that did it. Once a minister came to our house to tell my Mom and Dad that I would go to hell for liking Picasso. Poor man never had a chance....LOL. My folks were the best.

[SpikesPet5150]

I've had quite a few experiences with discrimination. I've posted them before, but I'll do it again, for ya. :)

I was working at a Calendar/Christmas store in the mall a couple years ago. I didn't wear my pentacle to work, out of respect, seeing as how I was working in a Christmas store. :) Anyways, one day, I see this mother screaming at her son because he picked up a Harry Potter Calendar and Tree Ornament. She was telling him it was evil and bad and of the devil. She brought it up to me and asked my opinion on it. And honestly, if she wouldn't have asked, I wouldn't have said anything.. but she asked what my opinion on Harry Potter and the surge in witchcraft was. I told her I thought it was amazing and wonderful that it's becoming more mainstream so people like myself aren't scared to be who we are. Oh my GOD, she freaked out. Screaming and cussing and calling me all sorts of horrible names. My boss walked up and asked what the problem was, and she proceeded to tell him that if he didn't fire me she would never shop there again. He told her to get her @$$ out of the store. :) I love that man, he's so wonderful.

Once, at a grocery store, I was spit on because of my pentacle. He called me a baby killer. I still don't get that one.

When I was working in the mall, I was walking out to my car for my break and this man who was raising money for a church asked me for spare change. I didn't have any, otherwise I would have given him some, and I told him so. He asked me again, told me it was for God and he would damn my soul if I didn't give him money. I kept repeating that I didn't have any (I'm not the type of person to carry cash with me, I prefer debit cards). He harrassed me about it until I got to my car (took probably 5 or so minutes).. repeating that my soul would be damned if I didn't. I finally looked at him and said, "Sir, from your religious perspective, my soul is already damned, so why don't you leave me alone?" He threw his trash at me (which consisted of soda/wrappers/nasty sticky stuff). I had him arrested. Go me.

People call me a goth wannabe. I don't get that either. If I wanted to be gothic, I easily could. I'm hella pale and have dark hair. Not all pagans are goth and not all goths are pagan.

My friends have all been wonderfully supportive, a few of them have even helped with my sabbat rituals. :) My cousin is the only person who didn't like it. She didn't talk to me for a long time. Turns out, she told her pastor about me, asking him to ask the congregation to pray for my soul. He told her she was a selfish brat and she needed to open her mind up and respect me. :) So we're friends again, and she's so much happier now than she ever has been. So thats good. My sisters and brother are all cool with it. And my parents are supportive and happy for me.

~Bree

[SpikesPet5150]

Forgot a story!! Didn't happen to me, but it's still valid.

When I was working in the christmas store, this woman was buying the Witches Calendar (a calendar filled with old paintings/sculptures of witches.. it's beautiful) and the Tarot Calendar. I noticed her at first because she was very nervous looking, constantly looking over her shoulder, etc etc. Honestly, I thought she was going to steal something. She finally walked up to the counter and set both the calendars face down on the counter. Now, being the nosy person I am, I picked them up and glanced at them and told her that I had just bought those same exact calendars the day before. She visibly sighed in relief. I asked her if she was ok and she said she was so happy that she didn't get an intolerant person helping her. I guess she had just moved to Grand Junction from a very small town in southern colorado. She was forced to move from all of the torment. Burning crosses, egging, losing jobs, etc etc.. all because she came out of the broom closet. She was such a wonderful, beautiful woman and it hurt me so much to know that that kind of thing still happens. We had coffee a few times, and became good friends.. we've since lost touch, but I still think of her now and then, I hope she'll call me soon. :)
~Bree

[tinika]

I voted never... but just because its no ones business what I do.

[Wyrdsister]

I voted "never" - not because I think I live in a tolerant environment, but because I'm still very much in the broom closet. :) I'd really be uncomfortable with people at work knowing I'm pagan. I know of at least one member of the staff that I get along very well with who would completely change his opinion of me if he knew. Athiest he can handle, pagan he couldn't.

Wyrdsister

[Valnorran]

It's only happened to me once, within the last couple of months, and while I never came out and said I was a Pagan, my views were apparently odd enough to cost me the job. I was interviewing for a position teaching history at a local Baptist private school. Part of the application asked for my religious beliefs. I kept it very general, saying that I believed that terms such as Jesus, Allah, Buddha, et al. were mere labels, that I believed all were one and the same, the core beliefs of all these systems were the same and as long as a student was a moral person, I really didn't care who he worshipped, or even if he chose to worship no one at all. Basically, I was told it was Jesus or it was nothing. I guess I could have changed my tune, but I really couldn't bring myself to do that. I was very upset because this job sounded like teacher heaven. The subject would have been world history (my absolute favorite) and the class size would have been nine or ten students. Pay wouldn't have been anything impressive, but I was willing to accept that. I love teaching, but the public school system renders it all but impossible. *sigh* Oh well.

[cybadiva]

That is too bad:mad:

And I bet those students have lost out on a great teacher - but I admire you for standing by your personal beliefs, I wish I could say for sure that I would have done the same thing in your position.

I hope you find another teaching 'heaven' job thats a bit more tolerant:)

[BrotherKrys]

I used to be rather niave about the predjudice untill I went to college. I have found that ones level of predjudicial experience is dependant on how obviously open they are. If your wearing all black and have giant "G" size pentagrams the size of chrysler hood ornaments then, yeah, your going to get wierd looks and people are going to make assumptions.

I was sort of middle of the road. I wore a single pentagram necklace that I made but otherwise, my appearance and cloathing was pretty much in the norm of the other students. I found that alot of people where interested would openly ask questions and I even got hooked up with a local practicing group because a guy at a gas station noticed the necklace.

however the flip side is that it draws alot of unwanted attention. Either from those who "want to save you" or from those who are just looking for a reason to not like you.

I was in a Philosophy course and the class was openly discussing a subject and I was bantering a bit with the teacher about some subject and another kid stands up and says something to the effect of "shutup you stupid satanic bastard".

Needless to say I was shocked, and lacking any wit at the moment to retort. From that point forward, I learned that while being open attracts the right people to ask questions and the oportunity to educate the missinformed, it also makes you a target.

You just have to choose what side of the line you feel like walking.

[cybadiva]

Its weird coz I don't get any stick for my beliefs - I don't really wear anything that might mark my beliefs out as different from the norm, I wear a pendant which is modelled on the ceremonial masks that devotees of Epona used to wear, this has drawn a few comments but out of curiousity more than anything else. Mainly I get picked on for having pink hair - but then a few 8-14 year olds following me down the street shouting 'pink hair, pink hair' is hardly what I'd call serious abuse, they're just stating the bloody obvious, I'm like thinking - Duh, your mother must be really proud of you!!

Although actually the 'little kids' where I live aren't really very little, some of them are vicious thugs-in-training who would rob your house and torture your pets as soon as look at you - but they would do that to anyone, no predjudice there;)

I must just be lucky to have avoided all the crap that others have to endure all the time (or I'm just IMMENSELY thick skinned!). Laugh in their faces I say - then run very fast if it all gets nasty;)

[Mystic Wolf]

I voted never but I don't live in a tolerant area. While there is some tolerance from different churches including some like the Church of St. Thomas and the local interfaith council, that is the minority and the true power in the area is held by the "Coalition of Christian Churches".

I wear my pentacle inside my shirt because it has a large amethyst in it and it has been blessed by the Goddess. Having it against my skin brings more joy to my life than displaying it to everyone.

I simply don't make my religion an issue. It is a private thing to me and I don't talk about it. Those who truly know me, know my positions on things. Now if I was asked then I will answer truthfully but I don't volunteer religious opinions. Mainly my friends and family know and don't care. Other than that, it really isn't anyone's business whether at a school or my place of work.

[rootwork13]

"I simply don't make my religion an issue. It is a private thing to me and I don't talk about it."

Like does attact like. By nature (and by some upbringing as well) I tend to take life on; I don't generally run from challenges. I was always the outsider, as a kid, teen, college student, military wife...you name it. Eclectic Paganism came easy to me, when it finally dawned on me that it was right for me.

One of the reasons I've slowly gone into the closet, so to speak, is that I feel no need to fight anyone for my spirituality. It's a private issue. In a more urban area I wore my medicine bag on my jeans and had feathers in my hair. Around here, I stand out like a snowball in Hell when I 'dress up'. And just like the misfit I was 30 some odd years ago, I kinda prefer to be invisible.

In an earlier post someone had the audacity to mention that Paganism has its own fundies...boy, how true! Have I been discriminated against..Yes. A couple of times by administrators who didn't like the way I dressed. It was political; due mostly to my being opinionated and not backing down when told to do so. Another one of those unpleasant character lessons! But there's no downer, for me, quite as down as being at a Pagan gathering of 'like minded others' only to be preached at, drilled about my 'tradition' (oh, PLEASE!!), and subjected to the same cliqueishness that encouraged me to get out of mainstream America anyway. Before we demand tolerance we need to be prepared to walk the walk as well. Sometimes, the walk of 'being discriminated against' can help us open our own eyes to our own prejudices and close mindedness.....not a blanket statement by any means, but it's certainly a valid lesson now and again.

Peace in our lifetimes.......:bubbles:

[Aotearoa]

Well, most of the crap I get is from dirty old men. Grrrrrrrr!!:meanface: But I have been descriminated against for not being Christian. I actually :mad: have a guy living @ my place who basically doesnt talk to me cos a) Im female and b) Im not Christian. We once had the school Christain group perform a play infront of the whole school and told us that if we didnt believe in their god we would all go to hell.:flamer:I find Christians either snob me or try to convert me in general. There are some nice ones in the bunch tho. I had a friend who was really open with her Wiccan beliefs (she kinda started me in it) and she got hell outcast (not just bcause of that) She commited Suicide. :( @ 14. THAT was HAAAAAAAAARD. Still is. :dis:

[Twig]

when my Boss/apt. manager/ex-alchoholic fundie :rolleyes: took down a sign I had over my front door that read "Pagan Clergy" under the guise that it was advertising.

:evilway: So I put it in my front window! :razz: Hehehehe

Peace,
Twig
:elf:

[Flaire-FireStar]

I don't really have anything..

People at school were pretty accepting. They called me witch once, I nodded and that was the end of it. And when I did a report on Tarot cards, the teacher and I had a discussion on them after. It was great. :)

At a bible study, however, someone brought up how "odd" Wicca was. She, and another girl got into this whole big discussion on how it was wrong and such - worshipping the elements, ect. Then someone dubbed the girl that started the conversation the "most tolerant to Wiccans". I loved the look on her face when the guy who hosted the study and I got into a conversation about "God" not "speaking" to me (I believe the Goddess did that!), and he then stated something about me being into Wicca & paganism. The girl's jaw just kinda dropped and she stared at me like "I've lost all respect for you now." There were many times during the bible study that I wanted to correct their thoughts about Wicca, or some other religion (they liked to pick on Buddism...) v/s Christianity, but I'm not very vocal, and they really got into debates sometimes. I'm not good at them.

:)

[*~*Chary*~*]

WEll i am pretty open about being pagan and i wear a pentacle choker, i also have a heiroglyph of Sekhmet tatooed on my hip but thats a different story.

I never get discriminated anywhere else Except book stores .,... the minute i walk into the mind, body, spirit section or the religion section on paganism. i always get comments made
Just 2 days ago i was looking through a book on Egyptian gods and goddesses deciding whether or not to buy it, and these 2 guys, about 24 or something not much younger than me start making the "ooooh shes gonna hex us, oooh whys a girel like that mixed up in that crap" comments. So being the fiery type i am, i walked over, picked up a spell book, handed it to them and said very calmly and quietly "Maybe you should look up a protection spell, because if you don't shut up your gonna need it"

Also before i have been in a bookstore "and the woman that was working there, turns round to a customer and says "stay away from her shes a defvil woshipper" so me being me walks up to them and goes "yes, and satan says that you have crossed the line by speaking his name out loud and he will destroy you" ha the woman went and got the manager, to whom i explained that the assistant had been discriminating against me" turns out the manager was pagan and fired her on the spot .... i think i got that phrase from an e-mail or something

[widukind]

Heh. Good one, Chary :)
I myself have been the target of only a few mild cases of discrimination.
At high school, we had a school paper. One day, a friend of mine - who was the editor at the time - asked me if I didn't want to write an article on something. Being a Wiccan at the time, I wrote an article titled 'Witch Hunt 2000', in which I laid down the basics of Wicca and explained to people that there was nothing to worry about. I got good reactions, but also a few looks that had the words "man, you're a freak if I ever saw one". This was probably the result of me using the word 'we' instead of 'they' when saying what most Wiccans believe in.
Anyway, I had an English teacher, an Irishman, who was, to say the least, a serious catholic. If I talked too much to my peers in class he'd say stuff like "Awww, shut up, ya Wicca!", but we were just having a laugh. I don't suppose he really accepted it, but I think he knew that there was nothing he could do to save me - I must have gone too far from his perspective. Ironically, his son came to me and asked me information on rituals, spells, etc. and insisted I didn't tell his father. That was worth a good chuckle.
Later, I continued the articles under the title 'Far Out: <insert subject here>' on various non-mainstream religions. When I graduated, I couldn't do the article anymore, but I hear one of the younger kids has taken over my column :p

The few times that people made remarks and it bothered me, those people were my parents, my dad in particular. He spent his schoolgoing childhood in a school run by friars, where all the spare time he had was to be spent praying. He made a decision to himself to never go to church again if he didn't have to, and perhaps that is why he doesn't really accept that I do have faith. My mom is pretty tolerant of my views, but when I was in high school, she didn't want me to buy any books on Wicca - or any Pagan Path for that matter - because "things were going so well, and she didn't want me jinxing our household". I can take it when strangers or even friends say stuff like that (in my mind they either are joking or don't know what they're saying so I can't blaim them, really), but it really hurt when my parents felt that way. I wouldn't dream of telling my grandmother, because she is a catholic fundie. She goes to church twice per day (although her hip problems haven't made that easier on her) and prays to a whole variety of saints. If I'd dare tell her that I'm Pagan, she would never understand and mock me, even if I pointed out the similarities between monotheist christianity with saints and polytheism. My grandma's 84 this year and I don't want to be responsible for making her spend the last decennia of her life in misery, knowing I'll go to hell :D
My brother, however, is a non-practising Wiccan, and my sister is very open-minded and isn't sure what she believes yet. But even if she decides she's Christian after all, she'll never condemn me, which is conforting to know.
Forgot to add this: my friends are very tolerant, although only half of my college friends know I'm a Druid. The ones I've told were very enthousiastic, one even asked me to explain Rune meanings, as he was just reading up on them and I'd told him I knew a little about them. We've been doing some research together and in a few months we're going to do our own ritual, blessing our medicine pouches. Another friend of mine is an atheist, but he sees more logic in revering spirits and elements of nature than in worshipping the Venerable Man In The Clouds (TM).

[Jeleia]

:T Right on Chary, I wish I could have guts like that sometimes :)

[LunaWitch]

Chary that is an awesome comeback to those guys!
I love it! :D
Also, I am so happy to hear that that person was fired for discriminating against you. I would have loved to see the look on that persons face when they got fired. serves them right.
Imagine if they would have said, stay away from that Jewish person, or Muslim they're <inset slur here> there would be a riot!

[Chibi-Fallon]

Personally I think many Pagans are begging to be hit with the discrimination stick. They wear the huge pentacles so someone will try to preach to them and then they can run around screaming about how *everyone* is discriminating against them. And how they *only* want to be accepted on their "peace-loving" path. And it's their *right* to wear whatever they want. Which may be true, but it ain't your right to be a moron or an a$$.
Now every so often someone is discriminated against and you deal. It’s not like people are slamming us into cop cars and won’t let us sit in the front of the bus.

[Valnorran]

Well, yes and no. I agree that some people do seem to deliberately try to provoke others so that they can play the role of victim. I always thought those sporting the Morticia Addams look were engaging in an activity akin to strolling through Bosnia with bull's eyes painted on their chests. Still, they're breaking no law, so I just shrug and say "whatever fits your pistol." What bugs me is a person who does nothing to upset the equilibriums of others save display a five pointed celestial body has to catch flak while someone wearing a symbol in which a man is being executed through torture is perfectly fine. Oh, well. Logic never was any part of human actions.

An update on my previous post in this thread. At the start of the school year, that school that refused to hire me still hadn't found anyone else for that position.

[Gently Gazing Eyes]

I don't display it very much, so I've never been discriminated against for it. :)