Male Witch??

[aeroeng]

Hit a slow patch at work and I got to thinking. What would a male that practices witchcraft be called? Is it just "Male Witch"? I know there are other terms for magick users (wizard, sorcerer, warlock, etc) that typically refer to males. Just wondering what other people have thought about the subject if at all. In the end it doesn't really matter, but I was just kinda curious.

[Mysty Moon]

a male witch

[Meadhbh]

I've always heard male witch as well.

[Agaliha]

Just Witch.
Though most think of women, it's not exculsive to females. Males are witches too.
Those other titles (sorcerer, wizard) remind me of RPGing and fantasy books, not of spirituality.

[aeroeng]

Yeah, those other terms I've always associated more with legends and/or fantasy games like Dungeon's and Dragons. Like I said, in the end it doesn't really matter, just one of those odd questions that popped into my head.

[Rhisiart]

SOME CALL ME...Tim?

[Suzette]

SOME CALL ME...Tim?

BAHAHHAHHAHAAAA!

I go with witch too. Can't stand when guys are called warlocks :ugh:

[MeriSekhmet]

I know i have rarely posted, but I feel that I can answer this concisely...

all these answers are correct... it is "witch" no matter the gender. the confusion on this matter, IMO, lies in the following...

It is quite often assumed that a male witch is called a "warlock"... hence, the debate about what to call a male witch. The fact of the matter is... (if you are solitary, this won't apply to you so much) in a coven or group situation, a warlock is a witch who has broken the rules so horribly that they have been called before a "tribunal" of their peers and been stripped of their powers. They have been denied their rank and priveleges and cast out of the community... usually left with only the ability to protect themselves from outside harm. (sometimes not even that much is left to them.) Thus, the term Warlock is a stigma among those who know what it means. They are left with 2 options... renounce magick, or go to the darker arts that allow them to practice through others or worse.

Hollywood has shaped much of what the "common" (for lack of a better term) belief about the craft is about. In hollywood, a witch is female and a warlock is male. As I have said, this is not true among those who know a bit more about the subject than what you can see in a movie.

SOOO... you have the correct answer and now you know why this is so.

[Theres]

Just Witch.
Though most think of women, it's not exculsive to females. Males are witches too.
we have a winnah!

[DarkDancer]

Witch.

[Philosophia]

Witchy witch :p

[aeroeng]

Witchy witch :p

that hits a special spot to me since my name is Witch...er I mean, Rich.

[David19]

I know i have rarely posted, but I feel that I can answer this concisely...

all these answers are correct... it is "witch" no matter the gender. the confusion on this matter, IMO, lies in the following...

It is quite often assumed that a male witch is called a "warlock"... hence, the debate about what to call a male witch. The fact of the matter is... (if you are solitary, this won't apply to you so much) in a coven or group situation, a warlock is a witch who has broken the rules so horribly that they have been called before a "tribunal" of their peers and been stripped of their powers. They have been denied their rank and priveleges and cast out of the community... usually left with only the ability to protect themselves from outside harm. (sometimes not even that much is left to them.) Thus, the term Warlock is a stigma among those who know what it means. They are left with 2 options... renounce magick, or go to the darker arts that allow them to practice through others or worse.

I think that's true to a point, but i've also heard warlock has another meaning too, which is 'spirit bender' or something, basically, someone who 'traps' spirits into objects, i think (i can't remember the site i read that on, but i'll try and find out and post it), i think they operated in Teutonic times or in scotland.

But i agree with everyone else, i think the world may just be witch (like i said, i think warlock refers to a specific type of magical operator).

But, i guess call yourself what you want :).

[Duwayitheru]

If you practice witchcraft, you're a witch. The word can be used for both males and females.

[Malcolm]

I don't like being called a witch. unfortunately I can't really think of anything I'd rather be called.

Sorceror, that just reminds me of D&D
Wizard, reminds me of the KKK
Warlock, I think it just sounds dumb
Ghodi, I'm not a 'priest'
Ghalliard, I'm a crappy story teller
Shaman, nope...sorry


My standard answer to "are you a witch" is "Something like that."

[Kalika]

Or just "witch". :) If you're talking about yourself especially, there shouldn't be a need to clarify gender. ;)

[Kahlil the Heretic]

Curandero?

[AussiePagan]

How 'bout Neo-Pagan. Witch has too many negative connotations. If you're Wiccan, the original terms were Wicce and Wiccan, or something for boy and girl Wicca's, so why not go with them.

[fangedeshana]

If you practice witchcraft, you're a witch. The word can be used for both males and females.

If you're comfy with the word. Otherwise there are alternatives... magic practioner is a general term. Wiccan, if you're Wiccan. Pagan or Neo-Pagan if your witchcraft follows a earth-based outlook.

Or make your own up. I know a witch who was sick of the negative conotations it held with so many people, so she started refering to herseld as a Earthwalker.

There are also terms specific for what magic type you use. I have heard people who practice Chaos call themselves Chaos magicians, or Choas Workers. Others I know call themselves Elemental Workers and work with elemental magic. Or Ceremonial Magicians.

But the simple answer is Witch. lol.

[Cynyr]

Just Witch.
Though most think of women, it's not exculsive to females. Males are witches too.
Those other titles (sorcerer, wizard) remind me of RPGing and fantasy books, not of spirituality.

Bump!

[Vigdisdotter]

A witch. The term is gender neutral.

[Vigdisdotter]

unfortunately I can't really think of anything I'd rather be called.

Do you use Runes? If yes, you could call yourself a Vitki.

[FirePixie]

Agreed that you would be called a Witch.

[Sage WindMoon]

Hmm. So how does one go about stripping the powers from someone else? How is that possible?


I know i have rarely posted, but I feel that I can answer this concisely...

all these answers are correct... it is "witch" no matter the gender. the confusion on this matter, IMO, lies in the following...

It is quite often assumed that a male witch is called a "warlock"... hence, the debate about what to call a male witch. The fact of the matter is... (if you are solitary, this won't apply to you so much) in a coven or group situation, a warlock is a witch who has broken the rules so horribly that they have been called before a "tribunal" of their peers and been stripped of their powers. They have been denied their rank and priveleges and cast out of the community... usually left with only the ability to protect themselves from outside harm. (sometimes not even that much is left to them.) Thus, the term Warlock is a stigma among those who know what it means. They are left with 2 options... renounce magick, or go to the darker arts that allow them to practice through others or worse.

Hollywood has shaped much of what the "common" (for lack of a better term) belief about the craft is about. In hollywood, a witch is female and a warlock is male. As I have said, this is not true among those who know a bit more about the subject than what you can see in a movie.

SOOO... you have the correct answer and now you know why this is so.

[Ben Gruagach]

Gerald Gardner, the guy who most people credit with getting modern Wicca going, was most definitely male and was very clear that he practiced witchcraft and not something else (like "warlockcraft" whatever that would be.) A person who practices witchcraft is a witch.

I've heard it said before what MeriSekhmet described that many modern Wiccans consider the word "warlock" to refer to a person who was kicked out of their coven for breaking oaths. That thing about stripping the person of their powers sounds like Hollywood though and not real life. Only the Gods and Goddesses can give or take away magickal abilities.

But even a witch who has been kicked out of a coven is still a witch. You don't have to be in a coven to be a witch.

And as has been gone over in many other discussions here at MysticWicks and elsewhere on the internet and in real life, Wiccans are just one type of witch. There are lots of non-Wiccan witches out there.

One other detail -- the historical term Wicca is a male witch, and Wicce is a female witch. Today we tend to say Wicca is the religion and a person who follows it is a Wiccan. In the pre-modern-English language where the terms were originally used, Wiccian meant magick rather than a person (as in "she did Wiccian on him").

There is a good explanation of the origin of the word witch and how it relates to the historical term Wicca and Wicce in this online etymology dictionary (http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=witch&searchmode=none).

Gerald Gardner or else someone he learned from or worked with picked up the word Wicca and decided to use it to refer to what they did. If they had been a bit more aware of the actual meaning of the word (or if it had been an authentic survival in the language from pre-modern times) they wouldn't have made the mistake of thinking the term for a male witch meant the practice. Despite the incorrect usage, today we use the borrowed word Wicca to mean the religion, and Wiccan to mean a person who practices is regardless of their gender. And Witch can be a male or a female, Wiccan or not.

[morningstar2651]

Hit a slow patch at work and I got to thinking. What would a male that practices witchcraft be called? Is it just "Male Witch"? I know there are other terms for magick users (wizard, sorcerer, warlock, etc) that typically refer to males. Just wondering what other people have thought about the subject if at all. In the end it doesn't really matter, but I was just kinda curious.It depends on the practices. Witch is gender neutral. There is also Vitki for Asatruar, Magician for Ceremonial Magicians, etc.

[Lunacie]

Witch is generally what I see used for both male and female witches. We're long past the state of having witches and witchettes to distinguish between male and female. :lol:

In my experience an oath-breaker can have his/her powers blocked or limited, but not "stripped" or removed. The rare exception (I hope it's rare anyway) would be like having someone strip my ex's shield from him since he didn't create it himself but his teacher/mentor created it for him. In which case all he would have had to do was to create one for himself.

[Morrigan_Wolfwind]

I say just "witch." A warlock is an oath-breaker, and I wouldn't want to be around someone who's broken the rules that badly.

[Rudas Starblaze]

I say just "witch." A warlock is an oath-breaker, and I wouldn't want to be around someone who's broken the rules that badly.

i think oath breaker means more like breaking a promise.

i call myself "witch". there are no rules in witchcraft. wicca, yeah, 161 to be exact (which some people dont admit to) + the reed.

[Tanya]

My family referes to Rob as "The Warlock"

[mallorean]

just witch as gender has absoulutley nothing to do with being wiccan.

blessed be and merry part
mallorean

[mallorean]

BTW warlock quite literally means at enmity with God. Or one who is the enemy of God this could be a male or female.

[Crystal Raven]

in the feminist circles i run in, there are women who refuse to call a man a witch (don't ask me)...heres what I have heard (definitions compliments of Dictionary.com)...

necromancer

n 1: one who practices magic or sorcery [syn: sorcerer, magician, wizard] 2: one who practices divination by conjuring up the dead


mage ( P ) Pronunciation Key (mj)
n.
A magician or sorcerer.

war·lock ( P ) Pronunciation Key (wôrlk)
n.
A male witch, sorcerer, wizard, or demon

*Please note that I do know at least one man that refers to himself as a Warlock, but is insistant he is "taking back the word" and feels no compulsion about the previous negative connotations that go with the word, as he says and i quote "this is an ever changing progressive religion, and i'll be damned if a mere word will hinder my own progress or change!"

[Ben Gruagach]

Just to throw some more light onto the meaning of "warlock" check out this online etymology dictionary entry (http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=warlock&searchmode=none) for that word.

Basically the word is derived from roots which are pretty clear it meant oath-breaker and one who is a traitor or enemy rather than the more whitewashed definition of merely a male magick-user.

Turning the word into a truly positive meaning would require a lot of redefinition. At least the word "witch" had a rather ambiguous origin -- it had a lot of negative connotations, but also had lots of positive meanings too. Warlock seems to be 99.999% negative in its meanings.

[Adelphos]

I like the term mage, as it sounds like a mash-up of magick user and sage. Also, it has virtually no religious or cultural undertones. In our modern culture, the term Witch does tend to have a more feminine connotation, and wizard makes me think of Harry Potter, or Lord of the Rings.

My prefered title, which no angry feminist can take from me, and that I truly believe to be my most magickal and important calling, is "Daddy."

[Chicory_Witch]

Just a witch, as far as I'm concerned. I've always considered the term "warlock" to be offensive to most people.

[brymble]

Hit a slow patch at work and I got to thinking. What would a male that practices witchcraft be called? Is it just "Male Witch"? I know there are other terms for magick users (wizard, sorcerer, warlock, etc) that typically refer to males. Just wondering what other people have thought about the subject if at all. In the end it doesn't really matter, but I was just kinda curious.

Witch. The gender segregation is in Harry Potter, not witchcraft.