Sacred Space Between the Worlds Conference and ConVocation are this weekend!
Have a Great time and Safe Travels!
Seminary Launch in South Africa
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa — The Aquarian Tabernacle Church of Wicca Africa (ATC Africa) has officially opened the GK Loom Wiccan Theological Seminary, a dedicated institution offering rigorous, lineage-rooted education in Wiccan theology, ritual practice, clergy leadership, and the living traditions of the Craft.
This launch marks a significant milestone in providing structured clergy training and theological education for seekers and aspiring clergy within Wiccan communities across South Africa and the wider African continent.
ATC Africa is now a legally recognized:
- Non-Profit Organisation (NPO 323-407)
- Non-Profit Company (NPC 2025/238189/08)
- Registered church under South African law
The seminary builds upon this foundation of religious legitimacy, ensuring that Wiccan education aligns with both spiritual integrity and legal compliance.
The GK Loom Seminary was established under the guidance and authority of Aquarian Tabernacle Church International, the global mother church of the Aquarian Tabernacle Church tradition. This connection ensures that the seminary carries forward an unbroken lineage of Wiccan teaching consistent with ATC congregations worldwide.
In alignment with ATC International’s vision for accessible, high-quality theological education, the GK Loom Seminary has been established as a sister institution to the Woolston-Steen Theological Seminary.
Students enrolled at GK Loom and Woolston-Steen will have the opportunity to:
- Cross-enroll in elective courses
- Engage diverse theological perspectives
- Access expanded curricula
- Share in a globally connected Wiccan learning community
This cross-enrollment arrangement reflects ATC International’s commitment to building a unified yet locally grounded network of Wiccan clergy and scholars.
The GK Loom Wiccan Theological Seminary offers:
- In-depth study in Wiccan theology
- Practical ritual training
- Ethical clergy leadership formation
- Community-centered spiritual service
The curriculum honors ancestral lineages and living traditions of the Craft while addressing the evolving needs of modern practitioners. Its goal is to prepare clergy to serve with wisdom, responsibility, and reverence for the Earth.
Registration is now open for those called to deepen their path through structured theological study.
“This is more than an educational program. It is a sacred commitment to preserving and transmitting authentic Wiccan teachings, empowering our community to lead with integrity, and ensuring that future generations have access to high-quality Wiccan theological training within a supportive, legally recognized framework.”
Through its partnership with ATC International and Woolston-Steen Seminary, GK Loom strengthens ATC Africa’s role as a beacon for Wiccans and Pagans across the continent—advancing religious freedom, education, and community building within Africa’s diverse spiritual landscape.
For more information about registration and programs, visit the GK Loom Wiccan
Theological Seminary page at The GK Loom Wiccan Seminary · ATC Africa.
Gallup: LGBTQ+ Identification Remains at 9% in 2025
Rainbow flag – Image credit: Ludovic Bertron, [CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=14831997]
WASHINGTON – A new Gallup analysis released today finds that 9% of U.S. adults identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or something other than heterosexual, a figure unchanged from 2024 but more than double the 3.5% recorded in 2012, the first year Gallup measured LGBTQ+ identification. The current estimate, based on interviews with more than 13,000 adults conducted in 2025, also exceeds the roughly 7% reported between 2021 and 2023.
In Gallup’s surveys, respondents are asked whether they identify as heterosexual, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or another identity. Eighty-six percent of adults describe themselves as heterosexual, while 5% decline to answer.
Bisexual adults make up the largest share of the LGBTQ+ population. More than half of LGBTQ+ respondents identify as bisexual, representing 5.3% of the overall adult population. Seventeen percent identify as gay, 16% as lesbian, and 12% as transgender, each accounting for roughly 1% to 2% of U.S. adults. An additional 6% use another term, such as queer or pansexual.
Since Gallup began measuring lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender identities separately in 2020, bisexual identification has increased markedly, from 3.1% then to 5.3% today. Other LGBTQ+ identities have also grown, though less sharply.
Generational differences remain pronounced. Twenty-three percent of adults under age 30 identify as LGBTQ+, compared with 10% of those ages 30 to 49 and 3% or less among adults 50 and older. Nearly one in four members of Generation Z now identify as something other than heterosexual, suggesting the overall percentage could continue to rise as younger cohorts age into adulthood.
Women are more likely than men to identify as LGBTQ+, largely due to higher rates of bisexual identification. The small share of adults who identify as nonbinary overwhelmingly also identify as LGBTQ+, most often as bisexual or transgender.
Political affiliation also correlates with identity. Democrats are substantially more likely than Republicans to identify as LGBTQ+, a pattern Gallup suggests reflects alignment with party positions on same-sex marriage and LGBTQ+ rights. Urban residents report higher identification rates than those in suburban or rural areas, while rates are broadly similar across major racial and ethnic groups.
Although identification has increased across nearly all demographic categories since 2012, gains are smallest among Republicans and adults 65 and older, whose rates have changed only modestly over the past decade.
Spelling The Heka-Tea with Marcus and Evanne
Marcus and Evanne are sharing some amazing podcasting – this week covering Love and more Love as well as Aphrodite, Recipes, Love, Mixology, and possibly more Love.
Finally, the FIRST TWO FULL EPISODES of Promenade of the Gods are here! We join the congregants of the Aquarian Tabernacle Church’s Mother Church for the next festival year, giving an inside look into all that ATC does and what goes into producing conventions and festivals for the Witchcraft/Pagan/Polytheist/Heathen/Wiccan community. We meet the 2026 Vessels who will carry the deities inside of themselves for the four festival days; witnessing them rehearse, build sets, transforming spaces into the sacred for Pagan Pilgrims from all over.
And speaking of Spring Mysteries, here is a quick reminder:
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
If you’ve been thinking about supporting The Wild Hunt, now is the time.
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There’s a growing conference in Portland! Spirit Northwest is a transformative and new format gathering for seekers, offering long-form immersive workshops on Paganism, witchcraft, and natural magick. Now in its second year, the conference is hosting keynotes from M. Isidora Forest, Laura Dávila, and Ivo Dominguez, Jr.
The conference organizers write, “Immerse yourself into modern and ancient wisdom, workshops, sacred rituals, and spiritual practices that inspire growth and connection.”
Information about the event and how to register is available on their website.
Events and Announcements
Do you have news to share with our community?
Announcements? Festivals? Elevations? Events?
We’ll share it with the community in the
TWH Events Calendar featured on the Front Page.
(Yes, it’s free, we just need your information.)
Let us know at pcn@wildhunt.org
More Events at our new Events Calendar
Tarot of the Week by Star Bustamonte
Deck: African American Tarot, by Jamal R, artwork by Thomas Davis, published by Lo Scarabeo.
Card: The Fool – Soul
This week, there is likely to be energy that encourages trusting instincts and exploring ideas that are initially sparked by curiosity. There is also the potential for major pushback on preconceived ideas that have their roots in compliance and maintaining a status quo that serves only a privileged few. Additionally, a desire for something new and better, even if it seems impossible to obtain, could be a driving force for change.
Conversely, while taking a more simplistic approach backed by child-like wonder can seem like a renewal, it is unlikely to produce the desired results and be received as irresponsible. Decisions and plans with too great a risk and that place the well-being of others in jeopardy will undoubtedly be perceived as reckless, will be unsupported, and very likely strenuously opposed.
👉 Don’t forget: supporting The Wild Hunt helps sustain independent Pagan journalism.
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As always, our deepest gratitude to everyone who has brought us this far.
And Finally….
Federal Court Invalidates Education Department’s ‘Dear Colleague’ Letter on DEI
CONCORD, N.H. — The ACLU forwarded a press release that a federal district court has permanently invalidated the U.S. Department of Education’s February 14, 2025 “Dear Colleague” directive that sought to restrict diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts in schools and colleges nationwide. After the federal government conceded that the directive and its related certification requirement were vacated, the court issued a final ruling barring the government from enforcing, relying on, or reviving the guidance anywhere in the country.
“This ruling affirms what educators and communities have long known: celebrating the full existence of every person and sharing the truth about our history is essential,” said Sharif El-Mekki, CEO of The Center for Black Educator Development. “Today’s decision protects educators’ livelihoods and their responsibility to teach honestly.”
Becky Pringle, president of the National Education Association (NEA), called the directive an overreach. “The Trump administration’s unlawful Dear Colleague Letter and certification requirement have now been vacated and abandoned, underscoring how badly Trump and McMahon overreached in their attempt to interfere with curriculum and instruction,” she said, adding that educators would continue organizing “to protect our students and their futures.”
In an earlier phase of the case, U.S. District Judge Landya McCafferty found that the directive’s “isolated characterizations of unlawful DEI” conflicted with the widely understood meaning of DEI as fostering “a group culture of equitable and inclusive treatment.” The court also held that plaintiffs were likely to succeed in showing the directive was vague, viewpoint discriminatory, and imposed new legal obligations unlawfully.
Sarah Hinger, deputy director of the ACLU Racial Justice Program, said the decision ensures educators can teach subjects involving race and gender “without fear of arbitrary or discriminatory enforcement.”
The lawsuit was filed by the ACLU and its New Hampshire and Massachusetts affiliates on behalf of the NEA and NEA–New Hampshire. The Center for Black Educator Development and several New Hampshire school districts later joined as plaintiffs.
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