Poll: Are you in the broom closet?

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Permalink Reply by Cat High on November 6, 2008 at 2:00am

I am definately not in the broom closet anymore. I design Pagan themed art for T-shirts etc so sort of have to be out. It was hard though as my last boyfriend could not be out because of his job.

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Permalink Reply by Yesache on November 6, 2008 at 2:45am

Mostly out, I wear my pentacle's proudly...work is not a problem as I work for a global electronics company and we have ethics codes so no one can harrass us, even tho, I have been harrassed, I did not report her, I just was so 'nice' to her that she is 'civil' towards me. Some prople avoid me...their loss!
I don't volunteer information, but if someone askes...I tell them. My friends and family except me, but sometimes they call me 'creepy' and I just laugh.
Now...the only one that I put my pentacle in my shirt for, is my landlady...I really don't think she would make me move, but she is VERY christian. I love it here...been here 8 years,but I don't want to take a chance. But I do not take my rings off around her....and if she ever ASKES....I will tell her...then we will see...lol

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Permalink Reply by nightfairy on November 6, 2008 at 3:12am

more in then out but if people ask i do tell them! lol

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Permalink Reply by Megalith on November 6, 2008 at 3:27am

I am out of the broom closet, as i see no need not to be. I dont go around advertising it but most people in my life know im Pagan including at work. There is no reason for me not to be as i find that once someone gets to know me as a person/employee the fact that i am Pagan doesnt matter as much as the qualities i offer in return. I get few problems with it really inside or outside of my working enviroment because everyone knows where i stand with it. In my experience i have not found to be a Pagan to be a stigma inside the Army at all. As a matter of fact the chaplains are very supportive of the Pagan rituals we hold, and have been great in supporting us.Our last ritual was even in the local paper published here (Iraq), and it was actually a great article. It might help you to know Ean that Paganism is an accepted religion in the chaplain's handbook, and you might be surprised how many Pagans there are within the Army and how much support we get from the chaplains. We here in Baghdad have a great Pagan network and even have open Sabbats and full moon celebrations. If you have been recieving some kind of negativity based on your religion it might help to note that religious discrimination is punishible by court martial. As a matter of fact under UCMJ law if you were to report this to any chaplain they would have to take action.To that fact, if you let someone being negative to you know that you know this fact, it generally robs them of their negative powers. I have found people like this to be alot weaker than they would have others to believe. Remember...a person has half the power to do you harm ,as you as you do to let them. Good luck Ean and i hope everything works out for you...Bright blessings all...

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Permalink Reply by ckevn on November 6, 2008 at 4:28am

I was taken to see a psychiatrist when I was a young boy because I was caught running around naked in the mountains where I lived, talking to rocks and trees, and yelling out to the gods! (please google www.isis-temple.org/ckevn and click on 'Stirrings From a Witch's Cauldron'; read "Awakenings"). I have never been a closet person. I was a professional security consultant, musician, and owner of a bookstore, and, except for the first part, my spiritual life was never an issue. I wouldn't allow it to be so. BB

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Permalink Reply by Raeven on November 6, 2008 at 4:45am

I'm out and I have worked as a public school teacher and as a biologist. Currently I am a fulltime mother and occasionally work as a dog behaviour consultant. It has never interfered with my job not to hide what I am. I am not wearing any explicit pagan amulets though - not because I am ashamed, but because I haven't found anything nice yet.


Greetings, Raeven

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Permalink Reply by PhilBear on November 6, 2008 at 4:51am

I am mostly out of the broom closet.

Now I don't go around wearing all black and giant pentacles and have crystals draped all over me and all that jazz.

But on the other hand I don't go out of my way to hide my beliefs either.

My beliefs have caused problems in work at times.

Currently I am providing full time care for my mother who is in bad shape.

Before this I was trying to run my own business (still am) but very little activity.

I used to work as a programmer for a large bank in the south east and prior to that I taught at a junior college as well as did all the computer work and was assistant dean of students and registrar. Small school, we all wore several hats.

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Permalink Reply by Reefahnae on November 6, 2008 at 5:01am

Me i am in and out it depends on who i speak too
like my in laws, they are sooo closed minded and that pagan/wicca/witchcraft is the "devil"
so i dont tell them
most of the time i am out of the closet

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Permalink Reply by john colley on November 6, 2008 at 5:42am

I have always been out.Wear my pentagram openly at all times,even at weddings and once at a catholic convent.I;m a car detailer,and i'm always in the public eye.

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Permalink Reply by nia rane on November 6, 2008 at 5:54am

I'm in and out.

I'm in where my coumminity and my extened family is concerned. My DH's family wouldn't really give me a hard time, as they are not spiritual people in any way, but my SIL would.She claims being a Catholic, but does not practice it. Actually, she practices slutism and bitchism. My mother probably would disown me, I don't know.

My oldest daughter who's 15 knows and accepts it, although she isn't showing any signs at the moment of being interested. She does not degrade me in any way. My youngest who is 6, doesn't understand yet. My DH has never said anything really, but I don't think he fully understands what I'm involved in. He sees my books ect., but has never said anything mean, or degrading.

I have taken the step to move all my wiccan books out into the livingroom next to my desk. I hide them nomore.
Oh, and my friends haven't a clue. But they will when they see the books. ;-)

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Permalink Reply by Willow42 on November 6, 2008 at 6:36am

I am out of the closet with family and close friends...

I am private but not secretive in my professional life.
I am a caregiver for the elderly/shift supervisor.

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Permalink Reply by Chicago Jen on November 6, 2008 at 10:28am

Greetings~
I have always been out of the broom closet. I have always tried to let folks get to know me before I drop the bombshell as I believe that their misconceptions may be dispelled once they see just how non-scary I am.... I worked for 14 years as a Probation officer in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois (one of the largest districts in the country), and pretty much everyone knew I was a Witch/Pagan. My bosses were aware that every Summer Solstice I would travel to Ohio for my beloved Pagan Spirit Gathering. They knew nothing could keep me from it, and indeed I believe I was docked a week's pay two years in a row. =) I would get calls from fellow Probation officers who would ask me for charms or interpretation of their dreams, all in all it was a hoot! I resigned from that position this past Beltane, but I never regretted being in the open. I feel I helped to educate people in the State's Attourney's Office, the Public Defenders, Clerks, and even a Judge or three.

I realize that the decision to come out is a very personal one, and one can never be ultimately sure of the outcome. I won't say I didn't hit a snag or two in all those years, but in the end they were small incidents. Perhaps a few folk chose not to get to close to me because of it...but then I don't want folks like that close to me anyway, regardless of the religious tendencies.

Hope this helps,
Jen

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