im starting this forum to see what people think. i know this comes up form time to time. do you think every one should come out of the closet, or do you think more people should be in the closet please explain why you feel the way you do
I think it's important to come out of the broom closet when you feel you can, and with people you can trust. My parents know but none of my friends have a clue, I will be open about it one day, just not yet. :) BB )o(
i agree with KatyaWiccaUK, you have to choose the right time, and tell the right people. when i decided to convert, i first told my mom because we were close and i didn't want to lie to her. she accepted it. with my friends, i forget how i told them, but it was some time later, i think my one friend said he was Wiccan and i was like 'no way, me too!' as you get older that's kind of how you come out of the broom closet i've noticed. there's many times where i'll bump into a stranger, or a friend of a friend, and see a pagan symbol, and next thing we know, we're talking about our craft.
i'm half in, half out. i don't go around proclaiming my faith, i do wear a dragon pentacle every day, and people have commented on my necklace [i wear in interesting necklace with some other things on it] there have been some times where i knew wearing it would be a bad thing [certain job interviews] but i never take it off. if someone asked me if i was Wiccan or what my faith was, i'll tell them without hesitation [unless they were holding torches] but i don't see a point to introducing myself like 'hi, nekoshema, i'm a witch.'
there's been one or two rough patches at the hands of people i don't know finding out about Wiccans/Witches in the area and having a big freak out, but my friends and family don't really care too much. i haven't told everyone, because i know some would be upset, so unless they ask me, i'm not going to tell them.
there are instances where not telling someone is the right idea. people in Africa are being killed for being witches [or accused of being anyway] not too sure if people are being killed in the US or UK but i know of places being vandalized, people being assaulted, attacked, and many people's works will fire them. wait for the right moment, and if you get a gut feeling something bad's going to happen, don't speak up. you have to decide for yourself if you should come out or not. just be sure if you know who you tell will freak out, figure out the best way to tell them to soften the blow.
Me and my great nan at one point before she passed we live a village full of bible bases and there were all about god back in the old days there would of had us hung lol but my nan said always be proud of who you are it was bad were I lived no one talked too me at school the other kids use too hit me beat me up I got stones throne at me all sorts me and my nan had too travel 2houres too go shopping because the village shop would not let us in we were on are own isolated form the rest but we stood strong it was hard goring up it was not in till I when too bigger school in the city that it all changed and I seemed normal compare too the bible kids the said thing is I protected them from the other kids I put my hate for them behind and now the vilge is ok with me I say be proud of her you are no matter what life changes and so should we dount hide are ancestors did not deny there were witches when there hung and burned so we should respect them and live on and say yes I am a witch I do magic dount like bug of :) )O(
For me, my "coming out" was basically just going about my business like it was no one else's lol Whenever I've been asked about my practices and beliefs, I've been more than happy to be open and conversational about them. Whenever I've been confronted or persecuted, my argument has always been this: For those of religious faiths that don't have a "shame" or "fear" factor associated with them, at what point are they made to stand up and publicly profess their beliefs? At what point does society make them have to defend what they practice? They don't have to, so why should I or anyone else have to? Especially if we already know the general response is going to be a negative/shaming one.
So I guess my stance on being in/out of the broomcloset is that we should just get rid of the closet all together lol It's too crowded for all of us lovelies in there anyways :)
