Having seen the cacaphony in some of the tumblr occult circle surrounding opinions on this writing, I have a lot to say. Most of y’all aren’t gonna like it. Buckle the fuck up.
I’m an AFAB person working on the demonic/sinister feminine current. I live it and breathe it and bleed for it; it constitutes the majority of my praxis.
I write, choreograph, and participate in feminine led (in fact, exclusively feminine performed) public ritual on this current, inviting others to experience and learn about the how, what, and why of this type of magick from a specifically unique feminine perspective.
I’m currently writing multiple pieces for publication, one of which is slotted for inclusion in an upcoming anthology work specifically concerning the sinister feminine and the Dark Mother archetypes, with multiple contributions coming from AFAB and feminine practitioners, myself included.
I literally branded the star of Babalon into my palm over the course of a seven hour sex magick ritual while channeling. That shit was rugged, I tell you what.
I’m pretty fucking qualified not just as a “woman” but MORE IMPORTANTLY as a serious devotee in the cult to offer my perspective.
You know what? I’m tired of men writing about the demonic feminine too, and I’m skeptical of most men who do too. But I actually work deeply on that current and it’s a huge part of my praxis, so I get to have a seat at this table and fairly critique when and where it’s necessary. That seat comes with its own responsibility to contribute to the body of work surrounding this current. No one I’ve seen complaining about the work in question works with Babalon in any actual capacity, or the demonic feminine current, and in fact most of the people in question don’t work with either of those things AT ALL. I am just as unwilling to let the current be hijacked by non-practitioners as I am to see it hijacked by dudebros. If you aren’t working on this current, then this doesn’t concern you.
And I know what y’all are gonna say- it’s about women in the occult. Except no, it kind of really isn’t. Because Babalon is not a woman, Babalon is a feminine archetype, and there is a HUGE grey area in how we talk about archetype figures and what they are meant to represent, to inspire, and to unlock, because they aren’t actual women. Or actual people. At all. Babalon encompasses a great many qualities that women CAN possess, but which not every woman does, in whole or in part, and that’s okay, because Babalon is not a woman, she’s an archetype. Every religion since the dawn of time has had archetypes, both masculine and feminine. None of those are men or women. So no, you don’t live this everyday because you aren’t Babalon, nor are you a feminine archetype figure in a devotional religious or magickal current, nor are you even a fucking practitioner on the current. So sit down.
Just like any other field of study, the occult requires accountability, study, practice, and working knowledge in order to lend credibility or validity to your opinion. Just because I’m AFAB doesn’t mean I’m qualified to talk about certain aspects of women’s health, because I’m not a fucking doctor- so if you haven’t studied Babalon, don’t have a relationship with her, and don’t work with her, I’m gonna need you to bench it because being a woman isn’t enough to justify your misinformed opinion.
Speaking of misinformed opinions, Babalon is a fucking archetype with whom it is not out of place to use devotional, poetic, or even sexual language. Funny that most of the people I see complaining about the writing are Catholics (your modesty is showing and fyi Babalon is in no way a chaste figure) or followers of Sarah Wreck, who once said that Babalon is a “passive” “receptive” and “empathic” energy, which couldn’t be less informed if she tried. So I don’t think any of y’all have any place to be talking as non practitioners, and especially as ignorant ones, about a current you don’t participate in.
I take no issue with the language used around Babalon in the writing, and neither would anyone else who actually worked with her or was familiar with her history. I don’t write about these things clinically either, I write about them with ecstatic love, with religiosity, and with passion, because this is not an academic introduction to the occult, this is fucking FAITH and DEVOTION.
So what if there’s little substance? If any of y’all were deep in this current you would find the substance you need in that mystery, and no author is required to provide substantive background information in their work when they’re writing for an audience that is already in a relationship with the current, as this author CLEARLY is. If you want substance, there are plenty of books written with introductory information on Babalon; this isn’t one of them. You can go read the ones for beginners instead, since none of y’all seem to know fuck all about Babalon.
Finally, we DO need more feminine perspectives on the dark feminine currents. So if you have a critique or a complaint, y’all are WELCOME to get the fuck up and write something. It’s not always enough to just critique- sometimes you need to roll up your fucking sleeves and MAKE better content if you’re not happy with what you’re getting. I get to critique the writing in this current because I actually contribute to it- but not a single person I’ve seen complaining has or is working on publishing fucking jack shit. You want better? Then bring better to the table. I live and breathe this current and I’m doing the work that needs to be done on this current. What the fuck y’all doing? You’re complaining on tumblr instead of writing the substantive feminine oriented works that you seem to really want. And you know what? If you can’t be fucked to bother doing the work, then you DON’T CARE and aren’t invested enough to have a seat at the table in the first place, because obviously this ain’t your game. So get out and sit on the bench.
