We recognize and celebrate the inherently subversive and feminist nature of witchcraft. The intersectional fight for liberation and justice is foundational to the Beacon Hill Coven and the following statements serve to make clear where we stand on sociopolitical issues that impact our Craft and our world.

A STATEMENT ON BLACK LIVES, JUNE 2020

The Beacon Hill Coven of Boston, MA stands in solidarity with Black Lives Matter. We affirm the value of Black lives, and commit to working actively to dismantle police violence, toxic masculinity, and bigotry. We acknowledge the existence and violent nature of institutionalized racism and pledge to support those causes, individuals, and organizations who seek to destroy racism in all its forms – whether it be structural, overt, or implicit.

As witches, we actively use magic and ritual as a means of fighting against systems of power. However, we also recognize that magic alone is not enough. We commit to marching, protesting, and otherwise defeating those in power who support racism, sexism, homophobia, and transphobia of all kinds. We oppose all forms of tyranny and oppression and commit to supporting only those politicians who work toward equality for all.

We are committed to treating every one of the Goddess’s children with fairness and love. However, we denounce – unequivocally – the systemic violence that is mobilized against minorities and we vow to work tirelessly to ensure the Beacon Hill Coven remains a safe space for anyone who may be called to serve the Goddess.

A STATEMENT Of pride, JUNE 2020

The Beacon Hill Coven of Boston, MA stands in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community. We affirm the value of queer lives, and commit to working actively to dismantle homophobia, queerphobia, and transphobia in our local communities and in the Craft at large.

We work diligently to ensure that both our coven and the Gardnerian tradition more broadly are safe, affirming, and spiritually constructive spaces for LGBTQ+ individuals. As Gardnerians, we recognize the magical value of alchemical polarity. However, following long-standing practices in both Wicca and Western Occultism, we do not limit our understanding of polarity to the biological sex of members of the priesthood. We celebrate the value of all queer witches, and especially of transgender witches, in our Craft.

We denounce covens that use so-called tradition to bolster their own bigotry by attempting to limit the Craft to only cisgender and/or heterosexual members. We recognize the inherent magical power in queerness and seek to work with our queer initiates to use that power in ways that are personally transformative and structurally powerful. We oppose all forms of tyranny and oppression and commit to supporting only those leaders and politicians who work toward equality for all.

We are committed to recognizing every one of the Goddess’s children in their full expression of their gender and we reject categorically any allegations that transgender and queer individuals have no place in the Gardnerian tradition. We denounce – unequivocally – the systemic violence that is mobilized against LGBTQ+ individuals and vow to work to ensure the Beacon Hill Coven remains a safe, affirming, space for all, regardless of one’s sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.

A STATEMENT ON COVEN AUTONOMY AND DIVERSITY, SEPTEMBER 2022

The Gardnerian tradition has no central authority. Each coven is ruled by its High Priestess and exists as an autonomous body. While there are practices that bind many of us together, there is also tremendous diversity within the Gardnerian community.

The Beacon Hill Coven stands in support of coven autonomy and the authority of the High Priestess to rule her coven as she sees fit. We hold that when comparing Gardnerian practice across the world, diversity of practice becomes remarkably evident. We understand this diversity as a strength and acknowledge that it is our initiatory link to the New Forest Coven that connects all Gardnerians.

We accept that there are legitimate Gardnerian covens that adhere to different practices, derive different interpretations of our Mysteries, and come from varying political and social orientations. We see this diversity as a benefit to the tradition and to future initiates. We hold that our diversity ensures that there will always be someone who can help seekers to find their way home, no matter who they may be. Indeed, not every seeker will be a good fit for every coven, nor every coven the best fit for every seeker.

The Beacon Hill Coven supports a diversity of practice within the tradition and the right of all High Priestesses to rule their covens as they wish. However, we denounce – unequivocally – the systemic violence, marginalization, and exclusion that is occasionally mobilized against queer and BIPOC seekers in the name of so-called tradition. We affirm that there is nothing inherent in the Gardnerian Mysteries that could be used to exclude BIPOC seekers or to require transgender seekers to be initiated based on their sex assigned at birth rather than their gender. We contend that any exclusionary arguments alleged to be based on “tradition” are instead based on bigotry and hate, and therefore have no place in the Craft. As such, we vow to work tirelessly to ensure the Beacon Hill Coven remains a safe space for those who may be called to serve the Goddess.