Paganism and Gay Spirituality: A Survey of Radical Faeries in Asheville, North Carolina
By Timothy Andrew Saunders

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The fairies are dancing all over the world

In the dreams of the President

they are dancing

although he dares not mention this at his cabinet meetings

In the baby blood of the brandnew

they are dancing O most rapturously

and over the graves of the fathers and mothers

who are dead

and around the heads of the fathers and mothers who are not dead

in celebration of the sons and daughters

they've given the earth

The fairies are dancing in the paws and the muzzles

of dogs larking in the broad field next to the church

The fairies have always danced in the blood of the untamed

in the muscular horned goat

and in the shining snake

in the blood of Henry Thoreau

and most certainly Emily Dickinson

And they skip in the blood of the marine recruit

in his barracks at night

his bones aching with fatigue and loneliness

and pure dreams of women

and his goodbuddy in the next bunk

They are most lovely in the eyes of the black kid

trucking in front of the jukebox

at the local pizzeria,

more timorous in the eyes of his white friend

whose hips are a little bit more calcified

with hereditary denunciation of the fairies

May the fairies swivel his hips

On sap green evenings in early summer

the fairies danced under the moon in country places

danced among native american teepees

and hung in the rough hair of buffalos racing across the prairies

and are dancing still

most hidden

and everywhere

In some, only in the eyes

in others a reach of the arm

a sudden yelp of joy

reveals their presence The fairies are dancing from coast to coast

all over deadmiddle America

they're bumping and grinding on the Kremlin walls

the tap of their feet is eroding all the walls

all over the world as they dance

In the way of the western world

the fairies' dance has become small

a bleating, crabbed jerkiness

but there for all that, a bit of healthy green in the dead wood

that spreads an invisible green fire

around and around the globe

encircling it in its dance

of intimacy with the secret of all living things

The fairies are dancing in even the Pope's nose

and in the heart of the most stubborn macho

who will not and will not

and the fairies will

most insistently

because he will not

In the Pentagon the fairies are dancing

under the scrambled egg hats

of those who see no reason why youths should live to old age

The fairies bide their time and wait

They dance in invisible circlets of joy

around and around and over the planet

They are the green rings unseen by spaceships

their breath is the earth of the first spring evening

They explode in the black buds of deadwood winter

Welcome them with open arms

They are allies courting in the bloodstreams

welcome them and dance with them

This paper is about me. I could easily persuade you that this paper is about Paganism and Gay Men's spirituality. Even more specifically, I could mislead you into thinking that this paper is about Radical Faeries, a politically and spiritually focused group of queer people, existing actively and globally. However, I would be lying if I tried to hide my obvious connection to this project.

This paper is about Timothy Andrew Saunders, a twenty-two year old participant in the Pluralism Project. A student. A homosexual. A man. A son. A person who one year ago stumbled across a group, a subculture of gay people who were unlike any creatures I've known heretofore. This paper is my reflection, my projection, and my interpretation. This paper contains bias. It is biased because of the limited time and resources from which I worked on this topic. It is biased because I am a man. (There undoubtedly exist a lack of women-derived resources and participants in the Radical Faerie movement). Bias exists because I am a Radical Faerie. I will no doubt use "I," "me," "we," "they," and "Radical Faeries" interchangeably. Likewise, this paper contains bias because I am gay; I am a person whose perspective on the world is quite unique because it was developed on the outside of a predominant conservative, heterosexual paradigm.

So, who are these people I stumbled upon over one year ago? This answer could never be completely answered in the confines of this paper; however, I will try to provide the basic nature and philosophy of the Radical Faerie spirit. The Radical Faeries are a movement which exists to find, reconnect, strengthen, and illuminate the queer spirituality that we (as gay men and women) have inherited from the numerous and expansive gay subcultures throughout known history. Radical Faeries focus on spirituality as it relates to inherent homosexual experience and identity. I know of no other group or faith to hold this ever-present ideology of sexuality and spirituality. If I could offer you any advice while reading this paper, I would suggest you keep in mind the following:

1. Most, but not all, self-described Radical Faeries are Pagans. I will be focusing on Pagan Faeries.

2. This is only my interpretation of Radical Faeries. If Radical Faeries have one rule it is that there exists no rules particular to this movement (if at all). Not all, if many, Radical Faeries would share the same beliefs that I share in this paper. I can only answer for my own experiences and research.

3. This paper assumes that Radical Faeries are the only present day gay movement focused on ancient homosexual roles and activities and current spirituality, as it relates to religion, politics, and the environment.

4. The personal references I make in this paper in no way indicate sexual preference or involvement with the Radical Faerie movement unless otherwise noted.

As far as I have ascertained, gay people, especially men, are drawn to the Radical Faerie movement for two reasons: fun and spirituality. The "fun" side of the Radical Faerie movement could be characterized as playful, outrageous, lively, colorful, decadent, semi-hedonistic, sexual, theatrical, artistic, and spiritual. The spiritual dimension of the movement involves healing, sharing, cooperation, listening, sexuality, creativity, and fun. Yes, these two aspects of the Radical Faerie movement are inseparable; however, many Faeries are strongly attracted to one aspect or the other. Some Faeries are solely involved in play: dances, sex, drugs, socializing, spectating, etc. Some Faeries are more interested in spiritual growth: heart circles, finding compassion, developing forgiveness, examining issues of death, birth, happiness, suffering, etc. And most, if not all Faeries, experience both the fun and spiritual sides of the Radical Faeries.

Is the Radical Faerie movement a religious tradition? This is the question I've been struggling with throughout this semester. In class, we have been using the following definition of religion: beliefs, attitudes, practices and social structures, grounded in a people's experience of the holy to reflect emotional, intellectual, and meaning-giving needs (Schmidt 12). If I focus on the Pagan elements of the Radical Faeries, that answer would be an astounding yes. The "religious" tradition of Radical Faeries is Paganism; therefore, Radical Faeries are practicing a religious tradition. However, if one solely examines the activities of the Radical Faeries, religious tradition may not be the description that comes to mind. This is because Faeries resist social structure. Structure exists in the forms of gatherings, publications, sanctuaries, traditional activities; however, there is no indication of leaders, mandatory dogmas, and expected rituals. This is how Radical Faeries differ from most other Pagans. The structure that exists among Radical Faeries is a spiritual framework (circles, gatherings, sanctuaries) through which individuals can find their own divinity. "Each Faerie is divine and speaks for himself. To be a Faerie is an act of self definition" (RFD 95:62).

While Radical Faeries lack traditional structure, there exists among them common beliefs, attitudes, and practices, grounded in a gay men's experience of the holy to reflect emotional, intellectual, and meaning-giving needs. These beliefs, attitudes, etc. are most effectively spoken in the words of Harry Hay, a cofounder of the Radical Faerie movement. His words are indeed a more eloquent explanation (rather than "seeking fun and spirituality) as to why Radical Faeries seek out each other. He insists that queer people

have been a separate people...drifting together in a parallel existence, not always conscious of each other...yet recognizing one another by eyelock when we did meet...here and there as outcasts...spirit people...in service to the great mother...shamans, mimes and rhapsodes, poets and playwrights, healers and nurturers...VISIONARIES...REBELS... Gay Folk, whom in Great Nature have been as a separate people for the last 100,000 years, must now prepare to emerge from the shadows of History because we are a species-variant with a particular characteristic adaptation-in-consciousness WHOSE TIME HAS COME! (Hay 8,9).

As Hay emphasizes, gay men comprise a third gender (and lesbian women a fourth), whose outlook on everything is quite unique compared to heterosexual interpretations. Hay suggests that gay people differ from heterosexuals in that we relate to one another as subject to subject rather than as subject to object, as is typical and traditional in heterosexual relationships. He feels that subject-subject consciousness could possibly be the gift that gay men and women have to offer humanity (Conner 295-6).

These thoughts are undoubtedly held in the hearts of Radical Faeries as the foundation of their queer belief system. From this core perspective on the role of gay men, beliefs emerge about the environment, politics, sex, social issues, etc. What follows shows some of the beliefs and attitudes common to the Radical Faeries:

1. Whether monotheistic or polytheistic, Faeries are inclined to find the sacred in nature. We feel a special connection to and understanding of the environment. We are especially sensitive to environmental degradation and exploitation.

2. Politically, Faeries support cooperation rather than competition. Faerie decisions are made on consensus, addressing the benefits and concerns of everyone involved. Faeries see authoritarian, pyramidal systems of government as damaging, controlling, and alienating.

3. Faeries encourage healthy sexual relationships. They see sex as expressions of creativity and healing. Since gay men receive a lot of negativity for their sexualities, Faeries feel that sex is a direct and therapeutic way to rid the psyche of self-doubt and degradation. Most importantly, Faeries render sex as spiritual and sacred, connecting to the life-energy in all things. Sex creates positive and peaceful energy if performed in subject-subject consciousness.

4. Social Justice/Equality is important to Faeries. We see homophobia, sexism, racism, anthropocentrism, and capitalism interconnected by hierarchical systems of thinking. Hierarchical systems are based upon domination and contribute to assumptions of superiority and inferiority.

5. Finally, Radical Faeries support radical change. For Radical Faeries, this means going to the root of the problem, i.e. assumptions of superiority, and challenging it. Personally connected to their identity, Faeries struggle with assumptions made about gender roles. Faeries may challenge these assumptions by wearing costumes or no clothes at all. Challenging and exploring the boundaries our culture has placed on the human experience leads to liberation, education, and social change.

Spirituality is difficult to define. Needless to say, trying to define spirituality for a group that resists definition is especially difficult. The topic of religious definition and the Radical Faerie movement is no longer useful for the remainder of this paper. Personally, I can only profess that my involvement with the Radical Faeries has been the most moving and spiritually meaningful period in my life. I'm confident the rest of my paper will adequately show the contribution and activities of the Radical Faeries in Asheville, specifically in regard to social activism. Additionally, I will explore the history of the Radical Faerie movement, looking at its roots on a national level and here in Western North Carolina.

As noted earlier, the goal of co-founder Harry Hay was to connect to the ancient spirit of gay people throughout history. Therefore, a true appreciation of the history of Radical Faeries could not be obtained without an insight to the historic spiritual and social role of gay people and a thoughtful look into the life of Harry Hay. Two excellent resources that would do justice to those two concerns are Randy Conner's Blossom of Bone, 1993 and Harry Hay's Radically Gay, 1996. Otherwise, the Radical Faerie history I will focus on includes a brief description of the developments leading to the first gathering, a summary of the first gathering, and a synopsis of subsequent events.

The movement of the Radical Faeries began around 1978. "The term 'movement' could not, [however], contain what the Faeries were all about; in fact Harry avoided using that term at first. He saw the Faeries rather as a process or way of life" (Timmons 250). Nonetheless, Hay had ignited something in the minds and spirits of many gay men, and consequent activity was inevitable. Hay's resounding calls and essays to gay men in the'70s filled a deep spiritual need in gay society. Gay men began making the pilgrimage to New Mexico to seek out the legendary founder of Gay Liberation (Roscoe 238). One of those men, Mitch Walker, suggested that they call a gay male conference based on the ideas of history, mythology and the meaning of gay consciousness. With the help of a third man, Don Kilhefner, the first plans for a Radical Faerie gathering started in the Fall of 1978 (Timmons 1978).

Additionally and simultaneously, Arthur Evans was asserting the role of queer spirituality in his book Witchcraft and the Gay Counterculture, 1978. His book was a strong initiative in the Radical Faerie movement, influencing gay men to examine their relationship between gay spirituality and the old Pagan Nature religions. In his chapter entitled "Magic and Revolution," Evans writes that it is the role of gay men to

look forward to re-establishing our communication with nature and the Great Mother, to feeling the essential link between sex and the forces that hold the universe together...We look forward to regaining our ancient historical roles as medicine people, healers, prophets, shamans, and sorcerers. We look forward to an endless and fathomless process as coming out—as Gay people, as animals, as humans, as mysterious and powerful spirits that move through the life cycle of the cosmos. (154-5).

The accumulative effects of Walker, Kilhefner, Evans, and Hay resulted in "A Call to Gay Brothers: A Spiritual Conference for Radical Faeries." Fliers were sent to gay and leftist bookstores, schools, gay community centers, and health food stores. An examination of the flier's language is crucial to understand the intent of its organizers and participants:

It's in the air. Heard everywhere. At the World Symposium on Humanity the talk is about "New Age Politics"—beyond Left and Right—a synthesis of the political and spiritual movements of the past two decades....the need for "conscious beings" assuming responsibilities for social and political change—a radical Circle of Dharma....something new is happening in our society with more and more people living and perceiving their lives differently....merging of political consciousness and spiritual consciousness—an interest in healing society rather than championing exclusive claims to "rightness."....Does all of this political/spiritual ferment have any relevance to gay men? Is there a gay vision of New Age society? Is a "paradigm shift" in gay consciousness also manifesting itself? The answer to all of these questions is: YES! And many gay brothers are feeling the need to come together...
to share insights about ourselves; to dance in the moonlight; to renew our oaths against patriarchy/corporations/racism; to hold, protect, nurture and caress one another; to talk about the politics of the gay espiritment/ the espiritment of gay politics; to find the healing place inside our hearts; to become Inspirer/listener as we share new breakthroughs in how we perceive gay consciousness; to soar like an eagle; to re-discover/re-invent our myths; to talk about gay living/loving alternatives; to experience the groundlessness of the calmus root; to share our gay visions; to sing, sing, sing; TO EVOKE THE GREAT FAIRY CIRCLE... (Hay 239-40)

Undoubtedly, 220 men found meaning in the language of the flier, trekking to Tucson, Arizona for the first Faerie gathering on Labor Day weekend, 1978. It could have been the first time in recent history that gay men realized that there was something more to do with their sexualities besides simply to "accept it" (Hay 245).

The first gathering proved to be a successful experiment. As one attendant relates: "We had no answers, we cried a lot, and laughed a lot, and sometimes we were cruel to each other. Living in a culture that has this idea that the physical and the spiritual are split, we didn't even have a vocabulary for speaking about what we needed" (Adler 343). Although structure and definitive language was lacking, two events manifested from the spirit of the group: the Great Faerie circle and the Mudpeople.

The first Faerie circle contained a spontaneous theme of Paganism. "Invocations were offered to the spirits, blessings and chants rose and fell...[Hay] called on the crowd to 'throw off the ugly green frogskin of hetero-imitation to find the Faerie Prince beneath'" (Timmons 265). A small wire cage was brought into the circle. People were asked to place fears, anxieties, any spiritual-limiting force, into the cage. "As the cage began to make its way around the circle, spontaneous chants began...A low hum began but quickly moved into a more agitated, coarser, emotion-filled cries...When the cage had been around the circle, the leader took it to the center, and held it up...so everyone could see what they were throwing away, then...he flung the cage and everything it contained into the desert darkness (RFD 22:62-3). Subsequently, the Great Faerie Circle has provided the framework in which much healing and spiritual awakenings transpire.

Likewise, the traditional Faerie practice of the Mudpeople was started at the first gathering. Numerous accounts exist about the profound event that "started out to be a lighthearted romp [and] turned into be a serious affair. Something about the nudity and the primitiveness of the chanting and the ambiance of the gathering triggered a primal urge in them all" (Adler 342). The whole event is recounted in language and phrases suggesting a religious rite of passage. A writer in RFD remembers a bystander who took off his clothes and traveled to the mud pit:

Immediately there was a sense of initiation. They held him on their shoulders—a completely white body amid the mud people. They lowered him into the ooze and covered him over. They held him up high again and began to chant. After they put him down another spontaneous dance broke out. It was truly watching a tribal ritual... (342).

The power of the Mudpeople events exemplify the transcendence of cultural boundaries. Silence, grunts, chants, and motion becomes language, feelings, attitudes, and power.

The first gathering kindled the movement. Attendees formed circles around the country as a way to prolong the awakened spirit they found at the gatherings. Also, Faeries felt a need to reconnect after the gathering in order to deal with "re-entry trauma syndrome," the problem of reorienting to the straight world. The nationwide Faerie circles also dealt with issues such as determining characteristics that encompass 'real' Faeries, confronting Faerie chauvinism against heterosexuals, and examining the role of Faeries and political consciousness (Timmons 268-74). As a result, countless Faerie sanctuaries have been established world-wide.

The second gathering in Boulder, Colorado provided dialogue for the concerns discussed in the previous paragraph, as well as created new Faerie traditions and ideas on Faerie sanctuaries. Ron Lambe, 62, resident of Asheville, shares some of his memories of the second gathering in Boulder:

The most powerful of all of the experiences that I've ever had in the whole movement was the National gathering in Colorado…in '80. There was a huge number of people…That one was so successful it was astounding. And, there was true magic going on there because some of the people had a background [in ritual]…They were able to take the energy of the group and shape it into something very creative and astounding that everyone felt…I think it was rare. I don't think that happens all of the time.

While a Radical Faerie movement was being nurtured in the Southwest, similar activities were occurring here in the Southeast. This activity was much less publicized and documented. First-hand accounts of these beginnings were shared with me through Ron Lambe and Rocco Patt, 45, both residents of the Asheville area. Both Ron and Rocco started a collective, with Rocco's lover, Peter, and a fourth man, John Jones. Rocco shares his first memories of the land called Running Water in Mitchell County, NC:

Running Water, when I stepped on the land, felt right. We looked at hundreds of properties, Peter and I together, and then stepped onto Running Water and there was Ron Lambe,…cutting down the grass with a scythe, and we just knew that was it. And we bought that place with him, and he was a complete stranger in our conscious life, but now I know he wasn't. He is someone we had been in touch with before, in other ways, other lives.

The men had come to the land to participate in the third Running Water Gathering, Summer of '79. Ron commented that it was his first gathering, and he was "blown" away by the experience. "I was just so astounded by it," he said. The four men quickly became friends, and decided to purchase the land from Michael Wilson, who had started the gatherings on his land one year earlier. Rocco said that "part of our agreement in buying Running Water from Michael was to carry on with the gatherings…do these twice a year."

Ron shares some of the history/reasons for the first (and second) gathering at Running Water, the gathering that occurred one year previous to his fist visit:

[the gatherings] started as simply a caucus to talk about feminist and gay men's issues…the caucus came out of a Southeast conference in Atlanta in '78 that had a big uproar when the women marched out because they felt they were being unfairly treated by the men…Michael invited the caucus up to Running Water in the summer of '78 for the first meeting…that was when a lot of these New Age elements were creeping into Gay Culture, so they formed a circle and shared thoughts and did that again in the Fall.

With the purchase of Running Water, the men agreed, as noted above, to host the gatherings twice a year. A second function of Running Water was to develop a self sufficiency collective, living off the land. Rocco said, "We felt that's where the great teachings lie…being close to nature, observing nature." He also added that "We had a garden; we grew all of our summer vegetables. It was a wonderful experience living that way." A third function of the collective at Running Water was to produce RFD, Radical Faerie Digest, starting in 1980. At that time the periodical had been in existence for four years, starting in Ames, Iowa, moving to Oregon then to Washington. When Running Water took over its production, it was most likely the first time in the periodical's history that it had a comfortable "headquarters." Ron elaborates about the philosophy behind RFD:

The beginnings of RFD were in Ames, Iowa, again out of a caucus about rural gays. And one of the things rural gays said they needed was a vehicle of communication. So, RFD was born to answer that…The philosophy of RFD is principally a networking to all gay men who live rurally. It rapidly started taking on a lot of the Radical Faerie stuff because all of that was happening around all of us who were producing it.

In 1987, Running Water was sold. Three years earlier Rocco and Peter had moved to Asheville. Ron was still living at Running Water in 1987, and explained that the "ending" of the Running Water gatherings initiated The Gay Spirit Visions Conference, held in Macon County at the Unitarian Retreat Center. Ron feels that the Conferences proved to be "Radical Faerism 201," answering a need for gay men behind the gatherings. The conferences tended to be more thoughtful and structured, having speakers and workshops. He also thought that the Conferences provided the "face" of Radical Faeries to dominant culture. The conferences still take place today and produce a newsletter called "Visionary: The Newsletter of Gay Spirit Visions." In the July 1998 edition, the Gay Spirit Visions mission statement is provided:

1. to create safe, sacred space for Gay men to explore our spiritual identity, open to but not aligned with any specific denomination or spiritual path;

2. to facilitate the same exploration of others by recording our experiences, by sharing our insights, and by encouraging other groups as they begin their own explorations;

3. to create spiritual community and networking with the intent to heal our spiritual wounds and to explore our gifts, power, and ability to live with spiritual integrity.

To these ends we:

1. facilitate the annual Celebrating Gay Spirit Visions Conference near Highlands, NC;

2. create educational and social programs for men wishing to explore these issues;

3. create an archive of related information, which we disseminate through traditional and cyberspace outlets....

Rocco, while not involved with the typical Faerie gatherings and functions, leads a men's spirituality group called Manspirit. He founded the group about five years ago to provide an outlet for discussion regarding gay men's issues. He feels the men that participate in the group

are touched by it. My goal and purpose with Manspirit is to empower men to walk their own paths. I really don't want to create another specific ritual or religion to worship on a daily or weekly or regular basis...We sometimes used rituals, sometimes we've done sweat lodges; we've worked with energy; we've done different things—we've pulled things from different spiritual paths and looked at them, and I think this is great. We see: 'How is this useful?, How does this help us?' I want to create spiritual community. I want to create a place where men will be empowered to walk the path they're here to walk, or they choose to walk.

I attended one of the Manspirit circles on December 5, 1998. The circle was at a participant's residence. After a social potluck, the approximately twenty men gathered in a circle (I recall about 6 self-described Radical Faeries present). At that time Rocco asked the individuals of the group to share their names, residence, and a comment about gratefulness. A talisman was passed along the circle as an instrument for dialogue. When the talisman returned to Rocco, he offered it to the host of the group, the homeowner; the host then presented the theme of the evening: World Aids Day (which occurred only a couple of days earlier on December 1). He asked the circle to share what they had done for World Aids Day, suggesting that we dialogue openly with the loved ones we've lost, talking as if they were in the room, beside us, listening. Well, I undeniably felt the presence of my dear friend Alton, who passed this summer. I talked openly of experiences I shared with Alton, his contribution to my life as a gay man, and the love I have for him. Similarly, the men in the circle shared stories and sorrows, joys and glimpses into lives that no longer exist physically. Discussions arose about security, fear, life and death. The circle concluded with silence and a joining of hands by the participants. Mountaine, a Radical Faerie, started singing

Dear friends, Queer friends,

let me tell you how I'm feeling,

you have given me such pleasure,

I love you so.

Rounds quickly formed, and the lyrics peacefully subsided as quietly as it began. Men hugged each other graciously around the room. A sense of gratitude, peace, well being, and hope satiated the space.

Traditionally, Pagans have viewed Radical Faeries as free-spirited, gay men who have a flare for costumes, chaos and parties. Adler suggests that "Radical Faeries often promote what might be called Discordian or Erisian energy. They have been the public anarchists' (346). Although this is accurate, this is usually the only side interpreted by both Pagans and non-Pagans. People often fail to realize that Radical Faerie chaos is connected to Radical Faerie spirituality. Typically, Faeries like to experience energy rather than control energy. This correlates with Faerie ideas of spirit, for Faeries believe that it is better to experience and enjoy spirituality rather than be controlled by someone else's idea of spirit, ritual, or dogma.

When asked about the Radical Faeries in Asheville, Passion, 35, a Wiccan Priestess of Coven Oldenwilde, had this to say:

they are very high energy. They are a little bit on the funny side...they like mocking..., but they're dancers...they come in costumes.... They are really good for a rite if you can keep them from taking off into some sort of Discordian thing, which is sometimes semi-disruptive...They're really good at keeping unity [alive] and making it a very joyous [event], and that's always good. I think if they have any difficulty at all, it may be in not having as much of a focus as they could, because that's where they could disorganize and disband...they're pretty free-flowin', and there's always a danger in that....being if 'anything goes, nothing will go'...They are not afraid...

Another Pagan, Kim, 42, Wiccan Dianic Priestess, shared, at length, her views on Radical Faeries in Asheville:

I don't think my views are regular from the Pagan movement...Part of the Radical Faerie thing is 'nobody's got the answer,' and I always respect that. I'm just glad there are men on this planet that are questioning spiritual stuff and gender stuff, hetero-sexist stuff, and recreating a reconnection with nature in a real creative, anarchic way. I've come to this [realization] as a feminist first...There's absolutely nothing that I've run into like a Radical Faerie....in all my studies or work. I believe from my research and [experiences] that gay men, more specifically Radical Faeries, recognize a cultural and spiritual heritage.

Furthermore, Kim comments on the spiritual roles of gay men and women in a language reminiscent of Harry Hay:

I don't see lesbian and gay people as sexual orientation. I think we are a people of spirit that are unlike any other. I'm not saying that we're better, not at all, but it's not just about sexual orientation. We are spirit beings who were given a challenge, or a way of living that is unlike any other way, and what we can learn from that and bring into the world is essential. We are truly people who walk between the worlds. If you walk between the worlds in gender, you have so much possibility and potential to be able to handle walking between all kinds of worlds and other dimensions, because you've lived that way.

How are the actions of the Radical Faeries viewed in Asheville? I feel the public still sees the Radical Faeries as an enigma, a secretive association of political extremists, void of reason and spirituality, appearing in the costume for merely shock value. Following the North Carolina Gay Pride Parade, in which the Radical Faeries appeared as the Mudpeople, the Asheville Citizen-Times summarized the actions of the Mudpeople and captured the comments of one particular Faerie, Badger (an article on Badger appears in the appendix):

Loosely affiliated with the Radical Faeries, a nationwide group of gay activists, the Mud People have clad themselves in sarongs (or less) and covered their bodies in mud. They don't speak much to reporters, but they have plenty to say to the Bible-toting, gospel-spouting preachers across the street. Drums thumping, they manage to drown out the half dozen preachers, drawing an appreciative crowd of onlookers. Badger Boy the Radical Fairy seems nonchalant after the brief victory and unimpressed by the fire and brimstone damnation. ' Heard it all before,' says Badger Boy, also known as D. Sinn. He's wearing a wire mask made from salvaged electrical wire with a dog's pelvic bones for eyes. The dog's spine curves over his head and down his back. The skeleton head adorns the top of his staff...While this is definitely an eye grabber, the kicker is the wire mesh codpiece filled with a substance that makes it look like a sizable and very hairy male appendage. 'Those are my dreadlocks from when I cut my hair a couple of years ago,' Badger Boy explains. While he's pleased with the Mud People's performance—they're mingling through the crowd ape-like and curious, Sinn acknowledges a little disappointment. 'I wish the mud folks would've gone naked like it should be done.' (Boyle A1)

During the event itself, another Faerie, Mountaine, was dressed in semi-normal clothes, following around the Mudpeople tribe through the streets, shouting in the most diplomatic of voices, "What is your political agenda?" and "What message are you sending the American culture?" Unlike the article suggests, the Mudpeople, of whom I was one (see appendix), did not have anything to say. We had no known language, civilized behavior, social skills, etc. Needless to say, Mountaine's rhetoric went unanswered throughout the parade, as did the reporters' questions and the "Bible-toting, gospel-spouting" preachers' condemnations. If any communication occurred, it manifested in movement, gesture, grunts, and facial expressions, often mimicking the scene in front of our faces. Michael Todd, 37, a Radical Faerie, comments that gay people have lost the "crescendo" of what gay parades and activism is supposed to accomplish. By doing the

Mudpeople, it brought a spirituality almost paralleled with Christ in a sense that Christ was born into this world...and hung out with prostitutes and such...It's like we were being born from the middle of our [God], which is earth, our Mother. So, we were being born from the middle of the earth to come up in a gay parade, not knowing how to talk or communicate in a known language...To me it brought [the parade] some simplicity, a message like people said Christ did. A message of simple innocence, curiosity, having to be creative with communication, not understanding the bigotry that we saw. We just [had come] from the middle of the earth; we didn't know about [bigotry]. 'Why are people acting like that? That's stupid'...I think if Jesus came today he'd be in one of our gay parades with mud all over him...

Not many weeks later, the Radical Faeries were involved in a group of artists, musicians, performers, etc. called the Peoples' Parade, which paraded through the closed streets of downtown Asheville during the city's largest annual festival. As a local, free paper, The Mountain Express, suggests, the participants in the parade hoped to offer:

what participants felt would be a creative alternative to the scheduled activities—featuring drumming, dancing, singing, colorfully dressed marchers with painted faces, and original, three dimensional artwork. The piece de resistance was a large, pink, paper mache dragon. Little did the group know...that the day would end in what many would characterize as a clash with police. Carrying a banner proclaiming, 'Stop mind control,' and hoisting the dragon and other artworks, the group marched...to the center of town.

However, the police quickly surrounded the parade and started grabbing people's artwork and destroying the dragon. Officers

demanded that the procession stop. [The police chief] says parade participants 'formed a circle and blocked the entire area....They would not identify anyone as their leader....Some of them were the so-called 'mud people,' who have no leadership and no rules, and refuse to go by any. It's a little tough to find someone to speak to when all they want to do is chant and beat drums, and we're trying to get them off the street without arresting them....If you're going to have a parade, a demonstration or a march, you need a permit to do it. Period. (Barber 8)

The parade and its consequences raised a lot of issues about the role and force of the local police. Many participants and spectators believed that the group's absurd appearance sparked an especially aggressive police reaction—"which they liken to the continuing confrontations between police and countercultural youth" in Asheville (9). Townspeople started becoming interested in the issue, and many forums and town meetings were held with the mayor and the police chief. The main concern was that the police tended to have an overly aggressive attitude toward unconventional-looking youth that gathered downtown. Many Radical Faeries attended the meetings and voiced their opinions; however their main role was enlightening the public about the officers' typically aggressive behavior through the visible absurdity of the Peoples' Parade.

Another example of Radical Faerie involvement in activism was expressed at a Ku Klux Klan rally in Asheville. Here, absurdity was used to lighten not only the extreme bigotry of the klanspeople but also the bitterness of the onlookers. Michael Todd relays his account of the rally as Ms. Mary KKK:

Did I really think that KKK people were going to come out and influence people to be racist? No! Did I think our people,...non-KKK people and black people and Jewish [people] were going to go out and convert the KKK people or really be able to sit down with them and reasonably talk this over and come to some consensus. Hell no!! So, the whole thing's fucking absurd! But the KKK people didn't feel like it was absurd. They were out there full of anger and piss and vinegar and hate. And, the non-KKK members were out there full of the exact same—nothing different. So, they didn't think it was absurd. So, I felt like our job was to come out and show the absurdity of it and play off the words like—Ms. Mary KKK and pushing white powder. How stupid that is. I think it just completely mirrored what the whole event was: stupidity in its highest form. The only thing nice about the whole event was that I got to do what I do.

The connotations associated with Radical Faeries may be characterized as absurd, unfocused, carefree, and even Discordian in nature; however, the contributions of the Radical Faeries usually remain hidden. Radical Faeries are challenging in the least violent of ways, yet the things they challenge are usually the most covertly damaging to society. Faeries challenge our culture's assumptions. We do not accept the assumptions that religious, political, and social leaders are the sole authorities of spirituality, decision-making, and civility. Nor do we assume that our genitalia dictate our sexual behavior, gender roles, and treatment of other beings. Our involvement in social activism may look relatively passive, flamboyant, and superfluous; however, it often inevitably focuses on the dominant mindset that is causing inequality and exploitation.

The following is Michael Todd's explanation as to why he left Short Mountain Sanctuary, a sustainable collective for Radical Faeries:

I didn't feel like I was doing enough. I think I'm a die-hard social worker. I need to be out there doing more...I felt I needed to be out instead of in my own safe haven so when I meet little queer boys and little queer girls who are [obviously] different and [don't] fit in, and they kinda have that 'faerieness,' I can go, 'Yooohooo—here we are; we're over here, this is where you belong'... So, just to use the Christian terms, that fall way short, I felt like I needed to be out in the world cause I'm kind of a missionary. I have to be there for other people

Radical Faeries are missionaries of social justice. They want more than anything to rid the world of pain and suffering, They want humanity to sing and dance and play. So, what makes Radical Faeries so threatening, so radical? It's a matter of reality and non-reality. A study of true existence and constructs. Faeries don't accept "just because" or "that's the way it's supposed to be." Radical Faeries challenge people to look deeply at their hearts and their spirits to find knowledge and truth. They trust that everyone is divine and the authority of herself or himself. To assume anything else is detrimental to one's relationship with reality and existence. Assumptions cause pain and confusion and loss of creativity. Reality is neutral and harmless. Reality is God, breath, music, light.

I've read the poem, " The Fairies Are Dancing All Over the Word" numerous times. While looking for a poem for a friend, I happened to re-discover it in the past week. Since doing this project, I feel as if I'm only beginning to realize the significance of this poem. It's not about fairies [nor Faeries]; it's about all of humanity dancing for peace. It's about the joyous gift we know as life, the present moment. The poem expresses the need to approach people realizing the common plane on which we all exist. We are all equal. This is quite a cliché, I realize; however, it is an undeniable, divine truth that we can not neglect to realize and relearn day after hour after minute. We all possess the ability to love and accept love. It is the role of those who know this to love those who don't. It is the gift of those who have awareness to show compassion for those living in fear. It is the role of "the black kid trucking in front of the jukebox" to love his "timorous" buddy, to show him dance, music, lightness, brotherhood. It is the gift of the fairies, all of those aware, to show compassion for the "most stubborn macho who will not and will not," to challenge him with kindness until he will and will again. Possibly, this is a message for those in power "who will not and will not" consider peace and loss of ego, opting for war and competition and pride.

This paper, this project, the Pluralism Project, is not about defining differences, showing boundaries in regards to ourselves and our faiths. This paper exists to show the beautiful pluralism that exists through tradition, culture, forms of worship, - all divine manifestations of our seeking of oneness, God, Goddess, Mother, Jehovah, Buddha, infinity. We seek divinity out of a need to connect with the beings around us. We seek pluralism, not from a desire to share completeness, but a need to be filled with love and compassion. If I come to this circle of life expecting to share the gift of my complete being, I am not presenting myself as needful of love, needful of growth, needful of understanding, and needful of learning. Likewise, if a religious tradition comes to the Pluralism Project expecting to share the wisdom, completeness, and correctness of its faith and followers, it is not presenting itself as incomplete, worthy, needful of interaction, comprehension, compassion, and acceptance. I need to love myself and to accept love; this is pluralism.

Bibliography

Pride Festival Program (Los Angeles, 1983) in Blossom of Bone. Randy Conner. San

Francisco: Harper Collins, 1993.

Appendix