Alex Mar spent five years immersed in Paganism to write her book Witches in America, an examination of the practice and culture in America. Biographile speaks with Mar about the experience:
In Paganism, there is a belief that of course, women should play important roles in their religious communities. As someone who was raised as a Catholic, a liberal, and a feminist, I’ve always had a major problem with the idea that there would be an end game if I wanted to become a leader. I never considered joining a convent, but it bothers me that there’s a cap to the rites women can perform in the Catholic church. It’s arbitrary, unfair, and ridiculous.
Alex Mar will be joining The Rumpus and Electric Literature for It’s Too Cold for This, a holiday reading at Housing Works in New York City on December 15th at 7 p.m.
