Bradley Rose Brochure on Faerie Identity (c. 1984)
Notes in transmittal.
WHO ARE WE?
WHERE HAVE WE BEEN?
WHERE ARE WE GOING?
The gay movement has left these central queslions unaddressed. In fact,
some gay people would have us believe we're just the same as the straights,
except for what we do between the sheets. But others of us hold to the gut
feeling that we are different-that we gay people are a people. As a
people we have ways that are peculiar to us and a language that
characterizes us. We have our own past and, even more importantly, our own
future.
We have searched through our childhoods for roots and clues to our special
identity, and we have come up with the word FAERIE. As gay children we
delighted in stories of faeries-those playful, magical, pansy-faced beings
who assumed human shape. We have even been known as faeries throughout our
lives to those around us.
So we are faeries. We spell it variously-as faerie, fairy, faery. No matter
how we spell it, our aim is to explore and celebrate our nature. We want to
build _real_ community on the fullest possible understanding of who we are.
Therefore we feel it necessary to address the question of our identity.
FAERY GATHERINGS
Since 1979, many gatherings of radical faeries have been called to explore
this question: Who are we? The gatherings take place in rural, isolated,
safe settings. Radical faeries are invited to bring their fantasies, arts,
memories, dreams and reflections. The gatherings are a provisional
sanctuary in which we take off the masks we wear for the hetero world,
suspend judgment and open ourselves to each other.
So, who are we? Answers so far are oversimple and tentative. But here are
some clues:
THE GREAT MOTHER
We feel a special love of nature. Growing up as faerie boys, we talked with
trees and stones-as do all children. But unlike the mortal children, we
still share our thoughts and feelings with trees and stones-and vice versa.
As faeries, we recognize ourselves as part of the balance of nature. Our
part in nature is exhilarating, awesome and humbling. We know that when we
lose a part of nature's sacred theater to the ravages of Men, we have lost
a part of ourselves. Faeries therefore are cautious, caring stewards of
country space. We are one with nature, with her variety and timeliness.
MAGIC
We faeries have also explored our magical power. Our ability to
communicate, to organize, to heal, and to create exceeds the limitations of
mortal reality. We use meditation and group ritual to celebrate ourselves.
Magical awareness is the connection to our own immanent power. In mundane
society, magic has been mystified, confused and heterosexualized. We
faeries are reclaiming the value of magic.
SEX
It comes as no surprise that faeries love sex. In sex, as in all things, we
enjoy variety. Our sexual relations are characterized by an enjoyment of
each other's enjoyment. In this regard, every sharing of energy between
faeries is sexual, whether or not it involves genitalia.
GENDER
As faerie babes we were each born with a penis and (because of this penis)
a burden of social expectation. As faeries we are sharply aware of the
inappropriateness of society's gender expectations when applied to us.
We faerie boys had queer ways of trying to throw a baseball. The boys
(those who would grow up to be Men) told us we threw like the girls. But
the girls, when we asked them, said we didn't throw like boys or
girls---we
threw like a sissy. There's the clue to our real gender. We are not-Men.
We are other. We are sissies. We are faeries. As adult males we still fail
gloriously at being Men. Even in 501s and sport shirts there's no mistaking
a faerie for a real Man.
FEMINISM
As faeries we are very interested in what our sisters have to say. The
feminist movement is a heautiful expansion of consciousness. As faeries we
enjoy participating in its growth.
POLITICS
Whenever faeries vote, they can usually count on numbering among the
smallest minority. The democratic system tends to bypass us.
Politically, faeries incline toward cooperation. We protest against abuse
of power. When we come together, faeries do so as a circle. We link all
around, with neither a head nor a foot, neither a leader nor a follower. We
prefer to make decisions based on loving, caring, sharing consensus. We
find that consensus excellently serves circles of 30 or fewer faeries. But
circles of even many hundreds of faeries have not found it necessary to
fall back to hierarchical, subject-OBJECT politics.
THEATER/COSTUME
The play of life and its myriad possible permutations bring ceaseless
delight to faeries. As faerie boys we loved pirate and Robin Hood stories
as much for the costumes as for anything else. We have all aspired to
become actors and actresses.
Colorful and fantastic costuming is one of our gifts to the world, if the
world will but accept it.
SUBJECT-SUBJECT CONSCIOUSNESS
Mortal society is a dog-eat-dog world-a survival of the fittest, full of
give and take, where push comes to shove and the early bird gets all the
worms. It pains a faerie's heart that human creatures could feel at home in
this economy of rape. The world could just as easily be a dog-love-dog
place. We prefer to respect the sanctity of life. Faeries see the universe
as wholly alive and sacred. We are subject-SUBJECT with our environment,
with all its inhabitants and manifestations. We relate to others as we
relate to ourselves-as subjects.
This is queer behavior in the dog-eat-dog world. Subject-SUBJECT
consciousness is the essence of faerie vision. It underlies our respect for
nature, our magical practice, our sexuality, and our relationship with
women. Sadly, today's world is in short supply of this consciousness. The
world needs our gifts, and our time as faeries has come. Together we can
sprout and nurture our visions That is why we will continue to gather as
faeries and share.
SHADOWS
Oh, yes. Faeries aren't all light and clarity. We have anger and rage
within us too. We have all internalized aspects of the dog-eat-dog world.
Faeries come together to examine their projections and their sense of wrong
and evil. We work to integrate the ''dark side" of ourselves into our
awareness.
SANCTUARY
[N.B. This document pre-dates the faery space at Wolf Creek which was established 1986 - DK]
Where do we go from here? We feel we're really on to something with this
exploration of faerie spirit. We want to continue this work. One of our
projects in this regard is to acquire a permanent place in the country as a
sanctuary for faerie exploration. By acquiring a permanent home (the first
of many) we can emphasize our faerie work with continuity.
Currently a group of about 30 faeries, based in California, have organized
to make this dream come true. We have been working closely together since
January 1984. We can accept tax-deductible contributions. We are looking
for land of 40 or more acres in northern or central California. We envision
the land as a retreat and study/work center where we can share our arts and
research, practice sound land-stewardship, restore our faerie creativity,
and commune in faerie spirit with our own kind.
If you are interested in this project, come to a meeting or give us your
name. Tell us how we can get in touch with you. Let us know your dreams and
visions.
Rendered in html by David Kerlick, 1994, 2005.
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