Remembering some of the Gay/Bi Mighty Dead of Witchcraft and the Occult

And their contributions to Gay Spiritual traditions, Neo-paganism, Occult Practices, Wicca, and Witchcraft

The term Mighty Dead is often used to describe historical or ancestral figures that have helped guide spiritual or religious traditions.

For more info about the Mighty Dead this is a great book by Christopher Penczak.

In this blog I offer a very short list of some gay/bi men that are considered Mighty Dead by many that were "out of the closet," and have "passed over" that made an impact on Gay Spiritual traditions, Neo-paganism, Occult Practices, Wicca, and Witchcraft.

• Harry Hay, founder of the Radical Faeries

• Eddie Buczynski, founder of multiple traditions including NY Wica and the Minoan Brotherhood, a tradition for men that love men

• Herman Slater, publisher and owner of The Warlock Shoppe and The Magickal Childe

• Scott Cunningham, author of many occult and pagan books

• Alex Sanders, High Priest that is responsible for the Alexandrian tradition

• Leo Martello, High Priest and author and many books

• Eddy Gutiérrez, founder of the Unnamed Path which was designed for gay, queer, and male-identifying individuals (also a practitioner of multiple ATR's)

• Aleister Crowley, was an English occultist, philosopher, ceremonial magician, poet, painter, novelist, mountaineer and author of many books (founded the religion of Thelema)

• Tarostar, co-founder of the Sacred Pentagraph tradition and author of many books on witchcraft

**I by no means left anyone off this list on purpose, and did not go into the extensive list of living practitioners. You all know who you are and thank you for all you do.

**Now I need to form a list for the women!!! There are not as many that are passed on and out.

A reminder to people of the contributions of queer/gay/bi men specifically in the Witchcraft/Pagan communities. Harry Hay, Eddie Buczynski, Herman Slater, Scott Cunningham, Alex Sanders, Leo Martello, Eddy Gutiérrez, Aleister Crowley, Tarostar.

Queer-Specific and Accepting Paths

• Feri Tradition: a modern form of traditional witchcraft that is open to LGBTQ individuals.

• Minoan Brotherhood: an initiatory tradition for men that love men. Founded by Eddie Buczynsi.

• Minoan Sisterhood: the women's counterpart to the Minoan Brotherhood. Founded by Lady Rhea and Lady Miw-Sekhmet.

• NY Wica: an initiatory tradition accepting of LGBTQ individuals. Founded by Eddie Buczynsi.

• Fellowship of the Phoenix: a neo-pagan tradition open to all queer/LGBTQIA adults.

• Radical Faeries: a predominately gay-male oriented movement seeking to define queer consciousness through spirituality.

• Unnamed Path: a dynamic and evolving spiritual tradition designed for gay, queer, and male-identifying individuals who seek a deep connection with the ancestral lineage.
  

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For more related LGBTQ+ reading

• Randy Conner’s Encyclopedia of Queer Myth and Symbol

• Misha Magdalene’s Outside the Charmed Circle

• A. Evans’s Witchcraft and the Gay Counterculture: A Radical View of Western Civilization and Some of the People it Has Tried to Destroy

• Cassandra Snow’s Queering Your Craft: Witchcraft from the Margin

• Pat Mosley’s Arcane Perfection: An Anthology by Queer, Trans and Intersex Witches

• Thista Minai’s Casting A Queer Circle: Non-Binary Witchcraft

• Lee Harrington’s Queer Magic

• Yvonne Aburrow’s All Acts of Love & Please: Inclusive Wicca

• Deborah Lipp’s Bending the Binary: Polarity Magic in a Nonbinary World

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ABOUT SI MANDRAGORA

Si is a Gardnerian High Priest and Minos Antheus Z.A. x in the Minoan Brotherhood operating in Flagler County, FL. A practitioner of various kinds of witchcraft since adolescence, he now runs Mandragora Magika, creates occult art, grows all kinds of plants but mostly in love with the poisonous variety. Si holds a degree in Graphic Design from the Art Institute.