The “Great War” is Already Here for Queer Youth… How Will You Fight?

My Ares statue- detail. The Gods are our shield. 

I was recruited by Persephone when I was twelve. I don’t know who reached out first, but on my first Samhain, there was a terrifying moment where I knew that I was unequivocally Hers. 

So I’m growing up Pagan- by choice. I read Drawing Down the Moon by Margot Adler under the covers as a preteen. I deep-dived into polytheism during lockdown. I begged my parents to let me join my local CUUPS group, where I’m an active member over 3 years later. 

I’m also growing up queer. Openly Pagan, openly queer. 

And if John Beckett is right, then my friends and I are growing up during a war in the Otherworld and this one.

A lot of brilliant writers have written about The Great War better than I can. If you haven’t read it yet, take a look at “The Great War: Pain, Hope, and Turning the Tide” by Irene Glasse and “The ‘Great War’: Making vs Unmaking” by Morgan Daimler. 

The main idea: battles going on in the otherworld are bleeding into our world, and vice versa. You may have seen this swirling mass of conflict manifesting in the overwhelming attacks on trans kids. The culture wars aren’t just ideological- they’re also spiritual. 

Ever since I came out as a kid, I’ve felt that the world is at war around me. It’s not a war with tanks and guns (at least, not in the U.S), but a war that takes place in courtrooms, elections, and school board meetings. And right now, the main target is the queer and trans community. Especially trans children. 

One of the most effective ways to fight back is to take part in your local government. That’s where the real change happens. Know your rights, and it will be harder for conservatives to take them away. 

The other way to fight back is to build your corner of spiritual allies. 

Develop relationships with the Gods- a lot of the Theoi are actively involved in politics and social justice. Ask your ancestors for strength. Call on land spirits to protect the earth. Turn to your queer and pagan communities for support. 

Because we queer kids are always fighting. And it’s good to have Gods and spirits on our side. To be an openly pagan, openly lesbian teen in 2023 is to put up with a lot of bullshit. It means facing my attacks on the queer and trans people I love- friends, community members, romantic partners. And I’m not content to just sit by and watch.  

When I was 10 and grappling with the Trump election, I wrote a book about a city of immortal beings called “The Concepts,” who were engaged in a war with each other. Every idea on earth had a “Concept,” and a lot of them were in constant conflict: like Earth and Climate Change and Corruption and Justice. 

Wow. I guess I was a pretty smart 10 year old 😂.

Anyway, it was the start of Tower Time, so maybe I was onto something. It’s not Good be Evil- Irene put it better as “Pain vs Hope,” but there’s a shit ton of conflict swirling around in our lives and we all have to survive so we can grow up to become happy queer adults. 

So what can we do? To start with, we can cultivate joy. Joy can be a radical act of resistance, especially among marginalized people. That’s what I’m keeping in mind as the world transitions into spring. 

And we can speak out about our queer rights- when it’s physically safe to do so. Speak out when you can. And train. Practice magic, build your spiritual arsenal, cultivate your allies. Last year I helped lead a ritual to Athena at Pagan Pride and was thrilled to hear that some folks reached out to Her after. That’s one of the best things we can do. 

I don’t know what The Great War means for me as follower of Persephone, but I sense that She’s training for something. I’ll go where She tells me. 

And don’t forget that sometimes all we can do is build our strength and grow into our authentic selves- after all, the world needs more proud queer kids and more people working magic for the right causes. 

What are your talents? What’s your place in The Great War, and what can you do to fight? 

Personally, I intend to be the powerful lesbian priestess that I needed to know as a preteen. 

And also please, like, remember to take care of yourself and do Normal Teen Things.

I’m trying to do that. 

In the Gods,

Rose Eleusis