Why 21st Century Feminism Embraces Witches

I think the main aspect of witches that caused them to be reclaimed by 21st century feminists is how they differ from “normal” society. Women could be accused of being witches for any number of reasons; as long as they didn’t fit perfectly into the society around them, they could easily be prosecuted. Especially unmarried women and powerful women, who are still called witches to this day. This aligns with modern feminist views that women shouldn’t be afraid of being seen as an outsider if they don't conform to traditional feminine roles.

I think another reason modern feminists gravitate towards witches is because of the popular belief during the witch trials that women were fundamentally inferior to men. In the Salem witch trials, women were more often accused of being witches because they were believed to be inherently more vulnerable and therefore more susceptible to the devil. The idea that women are morally inferior to men was also a driving factor behind a lot of movements opposing equal rights for women in the 20th century. Women were told they shouldn’t have the right to vote because they wouldn’t choose the “good” or “right” candidate; they weren’t given equal pay or promoted as much as men because they couldn’t be “strong” leaders; they couldn’t decide what they want to do with their own bodies because they weren’t capable of making the “right” decision. Fundamental prejudice against women is still a major driving force of misogyny in the modern day.

In recent years, there’s been several examples of witches in pop culture who are empowered, intelligent, and complex. Characters like Scarlet Witch, Sabrina, Hermione Granger, and Maleficent are some examples of positively represented witches in film. I think this trend will continue in the future as people start to see the complexity of witches and how many of the consequences of the witch trials still affect women today.