Many Pagans compare the "coming out of the broom closet" process of telling family and friends that they're Pagan to "coming out" as gay/lesbian/bixexual/transgender.
But is it really the same? And who better to ask than the folk who have chosen -- or chosen not -- to do both?
I am editing an anthology titled Closet With Two Doors, and I am looking for GLBT Pagan contributors. I am looking for personal musings, true-life accounts, opinion pieces, poems, rituals -- anything but obvious fiction that illustrates the author's thoughts, experiences and feelings about coming out as queer and as Pagan -- or choosing to come out as one but not the other.
I have signed a contract with Immanion Press, so not only do we have a publisher, but we have a publisher that I am sure will be comfortable with the subject and not try to "clean up for the mainstream Pagan community" anything you have to say.
Here are some questions to get you started. You do not need to necessarily answer every question in your piece.
When and how did you know you were gay? When and how did you know you were Pagan? Did any one experience affirm both aspects?
Are you out of the closet? Are you out of the broom closet? Why or why not? Are you out of one closet but not the other? Why or why not?
Did your family and friends react differently to one "outing" than the other? Why or why not?
Do your glbt friends know you're Pagan? Why or why not?
How hard (or how easy) has it been for you to find a life partner because you're glbt and Pagan?
Essays should be at least 2,000 words and at most 4,000 words in length. Longer essays will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Poems and rituals may vary. Please do not send more than three poems. All writers -- published and unpublished -- are invited to submit pieces for consideration.Published contributors will receive a complimentary copy of the anthology.
Deadline: December 1, but sooner is definitely better!
Please send your submission as a Word attachment to bronwenforbes@yahoo.com with the word "submission" somewhere in the subject line. Please run your piece through spell check and grammar check before hitting the 'send' button, and choose an easy-to-read font and font size (i.e. Times New Roman 12).
If you have any questions, please email me at bronwenforbes@yahoo.com
More information here.
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