Witchcraft as Feminism

Liz Ramos, under the supervision of Bruno the cat’s spirit, talks about Witchcraft as an act of reclamation through feminism.

Blessings Witches! As we move through Women’s History Month, it is important to understand the depth and power that comes from taking up the title of “Witch”.

Looking at witchcraft and trials throughout history (primarily Europe and The United States), a majority of those accused of being magical practitioners and witches were women. This is not a mistake or flaw in the system: in the time periods these trials happened (the 15th-17th centuries), these areas were (and still are) running under a patriarchal society. Women were meant to obey, submit, being devoted to God and their husbands, tending to all things domestic. They were to stay in the lanes and boxes built for them, to be docile and quiet. Women who were seen as not devout, knowledgeable (or “too” knowledgeable) in healing arts, asked too many questions, owned property, or were simply outspoken and challenging were a threat to these systems and therefore needed to be removed. Tools like the Malleus Maleficarum and Witch Hunting guidelines paired with jealousy and fear made it all the more easy to accuse women and have them removed from the power they were seen to possess.

Across the European Witch Trials, it is estimated that 40,000-60,000 deaths occurred. In America, while we focus on the Salem Witch Trials, there were others that occurred. In total, it is said that between 30-40 executions happened (20 of these from Salem), and more people died in prison. While awaiting trial and up until their deaths, these women were slandered, humiliated, beaten, and abused. The stereotypical green/purple/grey witch with the bulbous nose, messed up teeth, humps and bumps, and messy hair would be what a bruised, battered, and broken woman would have looked like. Pretty messed up, right?

Moving to 2026, while overall the world is becoming more open and accepting of witchcraft and embracing us as a whole, there are still people who wish to silence us and remove our power. I have already written of the atrocities that happened Halloween 2025 in Salem, MA from a ministry out west that had absolutely NO business being there in the first place, and also about the groups down in the Bible Belt who in early 2025 openly posted on social media about using the internet to look up witch spaces and events to harass and cause physical harm to those attending. If you choose to call yourself “Witch” and take up the mantle, you need to understand that you are taking on a title that comes with centuries of oppression and carry this honor with the respect and power it deserves. To be a witch is to be more than simply look cute for The Gram and have some tarot cards, crystals, and incense. It is to walk a path of adversity. It calls us to honor and remember our sister witches who came before us, and to carry Witchcraft to those who come after us. If you are ready to do this, then I welcome you to join me in the sisterhood (if you are a male witch, you are still welcome, as we all possess the divine feminine and masculine).

May your magic be fierce, powerful, and divinely feminine. Blessed be Witches!

Elizabeth Ramos is a magic practitioner who specializes in nature focused, healing, protective, and ancestral magics. She is a Reiki Master-Teacher and lives with her husband and their several Feline Leukemia Positive kitties in Upstate New York.

PLEASE NOTE: The views and opinions of the staff of Memento Mori Ink do not necessarily represent those of Memento Mori Ink or Crystal Lake Publishing. Thank you for understanding.