Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

PANTHEON

Home
Pagan
Is Paganism Blind To The Disabled?

Is Paganism Blind To The Disabled?

Last updated on: March 25, 2012 at 2:18 pm by Star Foster

Is Paganism Blind To The Disabled? 2012-03-25T14:18:00-04:00 Star Foster

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

When we were talking about Pagan temples awhile back it struck me how many of the commenters seemed entirely blind or dismissive of the needs of those who have a medical disability or impairment. I was going to write a big post on it, but it’s a pretty day and I need to get some offline sunshine.

Think about all your Pagan ritual experiences. Think about the most typical rituals you’ve attended. Think about the festivals and conferences you’ve attended.

How would you have participated if you were deaf? Would you have had an interpreter or would you have been able to read the ritual leader’s lips?

How would you have participated if you were blind?

If you have to use a walker? If you’re on crutches?

If you were confined to a wheelchair?

If you require a CPAP machine to be able to sleep at night?

If you medication prevented you from regulating your body temperature through sweat? How many summer rituals/events could you have attended?

If you have to be on oxygen, how safe is it for you to attend ritual with open flame?

If you become a caregiver for someone who is disabled, how is your participation limited?

Before you comment, think of the ritual and festival sites you have attended and imagine participating in that space with different disabilities. Think of rituals you have led and how they would work for people with disabilities.

Maybe a conference like PantheaCon makes it easy. Temperature controlled, no open flame, electricity for any medical equipment, readily available water, elevators, speakers facing the crowd and level ground that hold no surprises for the visually impaired. There are also camping festivals that do their best to accommodate people with disabilities, like Pagan Spirit Gathering.

There are also a lot of festivals, rituals and events, whether as small as a coven or large as a regional festival, that aren’t very accommodating. And that’s a problem.

You see, we’re getting old. As a movement, we are aging. Today Gardner would be over 120, and Alex Sanders would be in his 90’s. The youngest of their initiates would be in their 40’s to 60’s now, and most would be much older.

The Beatles wanted to know if you’d still love them when they turned 64. I wonder if our community will still be there for us when we’re 72 or 86?

And be sure to check out Staff of Asclepius, where Masery talks about Paganism and disability far more effectively and eloquently than I!

Previous Post

March 23, 2012

Hekate's Deipnon: Time To Mop Up

Next Post

March 26, 2012 Pagan Soup: Gary Johnson, Wild Hunt podcast and Autism Month

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category alexandrian asatru astrology ATW Audio books btw ceremonial magick chaos classics community conversion cosmology dianic discordian druid dvd eclectic equinox ethics family feri festivals film Fully Inclusive Events gardnerian gender issues glbt heathen hellenismos history humor initiation interfaith magick meditation Military movies music mysticism myth networking news Open Thread Pagan Pagan 101 Paganism passings polytheism Polytheistic Religion polytheology praxis Reading List religio romana review ritual sabbats santeria service solstice symbols tools values wicca witchcraft

Select a Month July 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who said, "My soul magnifies the Lord"?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Mary Elizabeth Hannah Deborah