Bitchcraft Explained.
I chose Bitchcraft because it is a combination of two very divisive terms: Bitch and Witchcraft.
In my experience, Bitch is a catchall term for women* who are not behaving “correctly”.
By “correctly” I’m of course referring to the predetermined heteronormative boxes women must contort themselves into to survive. “Bitch” is the convenient label slapped onto any errant limb sticking out of their box. Limbs include, but are not limited to: talking too much, not talking enough, wearing too much makeup, not wearing enough makeup, being too nice, not being nice enough, standing up for herself, being a doormat… You know, simple. Maybe she’s being mean, maybe she’s just trying to stand up to someone who doesn’t want to hear it (Maybe it’s Maybelline).
“Bitch” is supposed to be demeaning, to put the other person beneath them. And when it’s used? It's a shutdown. That’s it. End of conflict. You’re a “bitch” so now you’re dismissable. The term is attached to you and it alters how you are viewed by others. But with so much negative connotation, why do we hear women and queer people using “Bitch” with pride? Bitch is a label. And we’re reclaiming it.
Today you commonly hear phrases such as “Yes, Bitch!” or Lizzo’s Iconic statement of being “100% That Bitch” used to hype up a friend or offer congratulations on hard work. In this way, Bitch is no longer a shutdown. It says “You did not adhere to what society expects of you, and look how well you’re doing!” The same can be said for queer spaces. Yes, it can still operate as an insult, but usually it’s a marker of being part of the same community. Queer, by definition, sits outside of the heternormative patriarchal box, so taking a disparaging label from them, flipping it around, and using it as a personal sticker of pride? Well, the Queer Community has a long and prosperous history of doing just that.
This is the energy that I’m tapping into when I put the Bitch in Bitchcraft. Being THAT. BITCH.
That Bitch is someone who takes charge of their own life—who makes their own choices instead of waiting for things to just happen to them. They are a person full of love: for themself, for others, and for their community. They are working on improving themself and becoming the best and most authentic Them they can be.
And now for the Craft.
Unfortunately, I do not mean the 1996 cult classic The Craft, although the movie has had a profound influence on me as a person (if that wasn’t obvious from…everything). By Craft I am of course referencing Witchcraft, a word that has many connotations for many people, not unlike Bitch.
For many people, Witchcraft is a scary word because in popular media it is often associated with evil. In many religions, it is the same. Witches are people who make pacts with the devil to enact their evil deeds onto the world. Their work includes curses, animal sacrifice, and if they’re really feeling spicy, uncouth sexual acts. Now, as fun as some of that sounds, that’s not what we’re doing here. Think more Practical Magic (1998) than The VVitch (2015).
(Okay, I think I’ve reached my quota for Pop Culture references.)
If you are someone who hangs around spiritual, witchy, or New Age circles, you’ve probably heard reference to spiritwork. Many of these practices involve asking deities/ancestors/specific spirits for help, advice, or to do something on their behalf. And that’s great, unless you’re just an average person who wants some guidance and doesn’t necessarily want to start an occult Practice for themselves. That’s why I think of Bitchcraft as being as spiritual or secular as you want it to be and centered around self empowerment. We’re switching the Witch for Bitch, and our common language for this is Tarot.
Tarot as a practice has been used for centuries to provide guidance, glimpse into the future, and see what’s ahead. It consists of 78 cards, all with their own meanings and relationships to each other. As a tarot reader, my job is to hone the Craft of reading those cards and interpreting them for each individual situation. This aspect of my Craft is personal and ever changing. However, for everyone else it can be as simple as taking the time to think about yourself and what you want to accomplish. I often find that the cards just tell you what you already know in a format that provides the freedom to clarify and internalize that which you may not otherwise be able to process. I am here to facilitate that process and internal communication.
Ultimately, the practice of Bitchcraft is about harnessing the powers of Yourself. Using the esoteric craft of Tarot as an avenue to take ownership of your own power and using it to get what you want, making yourself and your life the way you want it to be, is where we get the combination of Bitch and Craft to create Bitchcraft.
Sound like you?
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