A numberof podcasts or blogs (3 that I know of) feature or include a ‘Coming out of the tarot/pagan/witch closet‘ interview segment. I Came Out as Gay in 1978 in a small city newspaper and have not been shy about expressing my sexual identity since.
And yet I’ve not Come Out in any sort of Big Event way about other aspects of my life. I did write this post about being a kinkster, spiritual, and a Sister of the Toronto Order of Perpetual Indulgence. Re-reading that post I notice that I did not specifically mention being a Tarot card reader and a student of Astrology and other mystical arts. I did get around to that once I decided to use the Interwebs to offer my Card Reading services online.
Reflecting on this, I realize that a large number of folx in my circles of interest (leather/fetish/kink; gender queer; visual/literary/musical arts; and Perpetual Indulgence) are card readers, pagans and/or witches. Just as the proverbial fish doesn’t sense ‘water’ as something distinct from their existence, Coming Out as an Intuitive Card Reader seemed redundant, or silly.
Shortly after moving back to Toronto (in 1978) I started selling art supplies; moving from retail clerk to store management to purchasing. Although the highest volume of product was sold to business accounts, each company had noticeable retail business. Artists- whether professional, hobbyist, or student- tend to be less judgemental about personal expression.
As noted in my first Coming Out post, there’ve been only a few occasions when my being an out gay (now queer) person had any observable negative consequences. I deeply appreciate that blessing. I know that’s not true for everyone.
Likewise, my general openness about other aspects of my existence have rarely drawn (detectable) strong negative reactions. What opportunities I may’ve lost from living this way can’t be calculated; few of them have ever been expressed to me. Better that I can’t obsess over them, as I doubt any of them were really compelling enough to make me try and change who I am. This is not meant to be bragging; some of it is the people I chose to surround myself with but much of it is luck.
My life is not without challenges or disappointments– but they are not obviously connected to those aspects of my existence.
