Why I Am A Satanic Feminist
I am a Satanic feminist. In other words, I am a feminist with roots in Satanism.
Although many Satanists do not believe in Satan, I personally do. I practice theistic Satanism, or Satanism that involves believing in deities and demons, including Satan. I believe Satan is the true creator of this world and all others. I believe Satan is the primordial force of nature that created us all. Most importantly, I think Satan is a god of liberty and individuality, not a god of evil.
My feminism wasn’t always Satanic. I was lucky enough to have a mother who raised me to believe in feminism. I got into feminism on my own while reading fat acceptance literature in my sophomore year of high school. Before I converted to Satanism, I was a Wiccan and saw my passion for feminism as rooted in reverence for the goddess’s power.
As I grew older, my vision of divinity changed from the God and Goddess to something beyond the gender binary. I began to delve into the Left Hand Path because it supported my belief that the material realm is sacred. I practiced witchcraft and communed with many different gods, goddesses, faeries, and demons. Little did I know that all of my spiritual practice would lead me to Satan.
When I was in college, I took a literature class about the Bible. I had no idea how tyrannic Yahweh, the Abrahamic god, actually was! In the Bible, this god demands animal sacrifice, brings plagues, demands that his followers abide by strict codes, devalues women, and more. Women were mostly considered property in the biblical days and men weren’t allowed to sit where menstruating women sat. For these reasons and more, many theistic Satanists refer to the Abrahamic god as a “slave god.”
As I began studying theistic Satanism, I started to develop my personal connection with Satan. I attuned to Their energy and prayed to them for comfort and clarity. (For the record, I believe Satan doesn’t actually have a gender, hence the they/them pronouns.) As I read The Satanic Bible by Anton LaVey, I loved how LaVey emphasized respecting women and consent. I’ve never heard about any Abrahamic scriptures explicitly valuing sexual consent. With the prevalence of rape at an all-time high, I embrace Satanic feminism. To embrace Satanic feminism is to embrace healthy sexuality between consenting adults, free from any religious, political, and social restraints.
A number of Christians, Jews, and Muslims are against abortion. Satanism has taught me that liberty and individuality should prevail above all. As such, I believe that abortions should be available to all people who need them. People with uteruses exist for reasons other than procreation. It’s entirely possible for people with uteruses to live complete, fulfilled lives without children. As a Satanic feminist, I openly challenge the nuclear family and gender roles that are enforced by religion. I value the bodily autonomy of living beings over the would-be lives of the unborn.
Baphomet is my favorite symbol of Satanism. I embrace Baphomet, the androgynous goat-human as drawn by Eliphas Lévi. As a genderfluid person, I relate to this symbol a lot. I think it reflects how Satan, too, transcends the boundaries of gender. At this point in time, individuals shouldn’t be restricted by gender, yet (transgender) people like me feel restricted all the time. I believe Satan represents freedom from society’s expectations and cis-heteronormative oppression.
Personally, I find that Satanism and feminism make an excellent cocktail. Some people think that Satanists using naked women as altars is degrading. Personally, I see it as a celebration of women’s sexuality. I believe Satan wants us to embrace our sexuality in healthy ways. Many religions shame their followers for indulging in their sexuality. Satan respects women as people and sexual beings (if they choose to engage in such behaviours).
I’ve encountered Satanists (mostly online) who do not embrace feminism because they think it is “too PC.” Feminism means all genders being treated equally. However, the name itself acknowledges that women, femmes, and trans people are oppressed. I think supporting equal rights for women and trans people is one of the most Satanic things you can do. Is it so hard to recognize that women, femmes, and trans people still face discrimination and oppression? Discriminating against us infringes upon our lives, individuality, and personal liberty to do as we please without harming anyone. I think being yourself in a cis-heteronormative world is an act of rebellion that Satan supports.
I think Satan symbolizes freedom from oppression and individual liberty. We need to be liberated from the fetters of religious, social, and institutional oppression. I believe the world needs more Satan. We need to break free from the unhealthy shame that religion has thrusted upon us.