Being Taken Seriously as a Teen Witch

Reading Wiccan writings penned by other teenagers here at The Witches' Voice and elsewhere, I've made an observation-teen Wiccans are paranoid of adults of their path not taking them seriously as real Wiccans. After thinking for a while about this, I've come to a bit of a conclusion.

In my humble opinion as a fellow teenager, I think that most adults see our MTV culture and flock-of-sheep mentality and say, "Nah, they couldn't make serious Pagans. They're way too superficial! How can a person whose life is focused on celebrities, overpriced makeup, gossip, and what everybody else thinks about them really have the depth of soul to love the Goddess and God and really connect to the Earth in Wicca?"

If you think about it, when American teens are viewed as a group, the adults might just have a right to think this way about us. Can we really blame them? It seems like everywhere I look around, there is a montage of sheep, teenage sheep with their designer handbags (honestly, who in their right mind would spend thousands on a purse?), super-trendy little cell phones, and the latest piece of clothing that everybody's wearing. Look around your school and listen in on your classmates' conversations. Are they talking about the interesting new piece of literature they just read or how they helped save the planet? No! More often than not, they are jabbering about their new cell phone or which member of the opposite sex is the cutest. Now, I'm not talking about teens on an individual level, but even the most generous of perceptions is going to take in this selfish superficiality in which our culture is embroiled.

Okay, now that the problem is outlined, how does one go about solving it? My challenge to you, my magickal teen chums, is to rise above. You know those television ads that say rise above the influence of drugs and alcohol, right? Well, picture my message as pretty much the same thing only concerning the whole plastic, mainstream teen culture. I'm not saying it will be easy. It won't be easy in the least. You'll have to deal with peer pressure, being ostracized by the "popular" people, and basically the entire force of the media telling you what kind of person to be. I learned how to be different the hard way.

A few years ago, I tried to fit into several different social groups, from Goth to prep. I adjusted my whole life to fit each new circle of friends that I tried to be a part of, but each time, I ended up feeling empty and like a big fat phony. And yet, I pressed on, trying label after label just because I wanted to belong. Finally, I got sick of this. This is really no way to live a healthy life. My schoolwork was suffering, and my emotional state was a total wreck. I did some real soul-searching and finally became secure enough with myself that I didn't need the validation of others to feel secure, and, believe me, that took a whole lot of time. I meditated, went to a therapist, and above all, read. A book that really helped me out in this regard was Marina Baker's Teenage Survival Guide: Everything You Need to Know About Life, Love and Caring for the Planet. In the end, my mental journey was infinitely rewarding. I realized that categories are for file cabinets, not for people, and I could finally live my life the way I wanted to instead of how I was told to.

Nowadays, I'm not your typical teenage girl, and I happen to be quite proud about it. I wear what I want. If I feel like wearing jeans and a t-shirt every day of the week, I go for it. If I feel like spicing it up and wearing a long, swishy skirt one day, I do. I carry my lucky stuffed otter around school on days when I have a math test. I never go on Myspace and only use my Facebook account to connect with friends who have moved far away. I hate all reality shows, especially American Idol, and I think MTV is a complete waste of time. My cell phone does not have a camera, Internet, or any other unnecessary money-waster. I cannot stand text messaging, and I am always extremely under my minutes on my phone bill every month. My two best friends live in Amsterdam and Jakarta. I have a strawberry plant called George who I talk to every day. I am an eclectic solitary Wiccan and sport my pentacle, Stonehenge charm, and/or crystal with pride. I have no shame in admitting that I play Dungeons and Dragons. My half-elf bard is truly amazing-the balance of good and evil in the whole world depends upon me (in our campaign at least). I have no desire to be popular or hang out with the "coolest" girls, chatting about makeup, which boy band is cuter, or whatever they giggle about while painting their toenails. Instead, I hang out with a bunch of guys, watching movies, goofing off, and going to Waffle House every single weekend, or I just hang out with myself, meditating on a rock in the middle of a creek. If I feel like someone's treating me or anyone I care about unfairly, you bet I am going to speak up, no matter how embarrassing or against the status quo it may be.

It's challenging at times, and sometimes I'm just so tempted by how easy it would be to don an Abercrombie and Fitch shirt and re-join the masses, but then I realize that I would be giving up my very soul. I challenge every other teenager out there to be different and challenge these social "rules" we find ourselves feeling obligated to adhere to. Don't fit it. Maybe then, once we cut ourselves off from the negative images projected onto mainstream teenagers, adult Wiccans will start to take us seriously.