Here you come again
Just when I’ve begun to get myself together
-Words St. Dolly Parton
It’s that time again. Our secular solar year begins and, as is our tradition at The Wild Hunt on New Year’s Day, I get to engage in some annual hand-wringing, channeling Cassandra and communing with Pythia or any other seer willing to open a dialogue about the societal and cultural trends that may resonate with the collective Pagan, Witchcraft, Heathen, and polytheist community.
In 2023, I ruminated on the rise of misogyny and its manifestation in the “Tradwife” subculture—a movement that romanticizes the 1950s housewife and frames traditional gender roles as an empowering choice for women. Although this predominantly white movement began gaining traction around five years ago, its reach has been amplified by social media platforms. Despite its rhetoric of personal freedom, the Tradwife ideology is deeply rooted in fundamentalist religious messaging. Websites like the Darling Academy promote ideals such as “the natural order” and denounce gender neutrality as being “against the laws of nature.” These narratives undermine progress toward gender equality by cloaking rigid societal norms in the language of personal choice and empowerment.
Priestess of Delphi by John Collier [oil on canvas, 1891
Last year, I ruminated some more about the rise of spiritual violence—particularly the aggressive evangelism practiced by conservative Christians. My inbox has been inundated with Biblical quotations and exhortations to “find Jesus,” as though Western culture had somehow failed to introduce him to me. I’ve described this phenomenon as a “no-holds-barred” approach to Christian evangelism, and it shows no sign of slowing. These persistent incidents underscore the ongoing challenges faced by those of us outside the dominant religious framework.
Incidentally, those emails have never ceased. There is, as Hozier aptly sang, , “fresh poison each week.”
But there’s an eeriness to 2025 and echoes from history feel particularly poignant.
A century ago, in 1925, the state of Tennessee enacted the Butler Act, a law prohibiting public school teachers from presenting any theory of human origins that contradicted the biblical account of creation. The primary target was Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution, seen as a direct challenge to the Bible’s narrative. The Act went even further, explicitly banning the teaching of any theory that denied divine creation as described in the Bible. This legislation was emblematic of a broader movement in the American South, where several states sought to suppress the teaching of evolution, framing it as incompatible with religious doctrine.
In Dayton, Tennessee, high school teacher John Scopes deliberately violated the Butler Act by teaching evolution, encouraged by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which sought to challenge the law in court.
What followed was the Scopes Monkey Trial—officially The State of Tennessee v. John Thomas Scopes—a landmark legal case that spotlighted the conflict between modern science and religious fundamentalism. Scopes was found guilty and fined $100, approximately $1,800 today. On appeal, the Tennessee Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the Butler Act but overturned Scopes’ conviction on a technicality: the fine had been imposed by the judge rather than the jury, violating Tennessee law. The fine was never paid.
The trial’s cultural significance far outweighed its immediate legal consequences, marking a pivotal moment in American education and intellectual freedom. Meanwhile, just take a moment to observe how settled science is dismissed or undermined whenever it conflicts with beliefs.
Today, we might all be John Scopes.
In our current climate, the cultural push-back is embodied by what some call the “broligarchy.” This army of aggrieved men that is led by billionaires and is collectively grappling with societal realities has coalesced around complaints, often expressed as resentment toward perceived threats to their traditional dominance.
Historian and podcaster Patrick Wyman describes these “bros” as advocates for a return to a world where their views and behaviors face little resistance. The bro is “someone who thinks that you can’t get away with saying the things you used to be able to say,” Wyman explains. “And who thinks that, as a group, they should be allowed to say pretty much whatever they want and that other people should have to conform to that.”
Many bros are angry about no longer being automatically positioned at the top of the hierarchy, serving as a stark reminder that patriarchy remains far from dismantled.
This anger, rooted in the loss of automatic dominance within societal hierarchies, serves as a stark reminder that patriarchy remains far from dismantled. Economic challenges further fuel their discontent, driving many to seek leadership and solidarity from billionaire “bro” figures. Conservative groups have politically weaponized their frustrations, turning their grievances into a potent force.
They should not be underestimated.
So what do these things mean to our community of Pagans, Witches, Heathens, and polytheists?
A resurgence of “traditional values” is already brining increased emphasis on—and, as TWH has reported repeatedly, legislation promoting—conservative expectations surrounding family, Christian belief, and patriarchal social norms. For our community, this could result in a narrowing of societal influence and a need for greater caution in public visibility. Choosing which battles to engage in will require careful discernment and strategy.
What’s undeniable is that many of us are feeling fear, and compassion often feels in short supply. I hope we are listening to one another. When we come together, we are more creative, more effective, and—perhaps most importantly in the year ahead—more resilient.
While we may find ourselves increasingly marginalized, our collective history has equipped us with exceptional skills to thrive in liminal spaces.
Every year, I reflect on this and find that I remain hopeful about our shared resilience. This year is no different. Hope is hard to kill.
Whatever challenges arise, The Wild Hunt team will continue sharing the stories of our community and the events in the world around us through a Pagan lens and voice.
Happy Secular New Year! May 2025 bring many blessings.
The Wild Hunt is not responsible for links to external content.
To join a conversation on this post:
Visit our The Wild Hunt subreddit! Point your favorite browser to https://www.reddit.com/r/The_Wild_Hunt_News/, then click “JOIN”. Make sure to click the bell, too, to be notified of new articles posted to our subreddit.