Reclaim your body; It’s your Satan given right

Satan has always been about liberation. When the religious right seeks to curtail our rights, Satan prompts us to push back. When we’re told that showing off and embracing ourselves is sinful, Satan prompts us to rebel and stand our ground.

We’ve seen attempts to do away with reproductive rights, including abortion rights, and it is us Satanists making noise and demanding we be treated with respect.

This has war that has been waged for centuries now. Those in authority have tried to oppress our right to decide what it is we choose to do with our body. They’ve had their witch-hunts, and their crusades; Entitled to that which is not theirs; Laying claim to our minds and our souls. Much like their God, they are a jealous and spiteful bunch. They’re frightened of the times, as they continue to change. 

Christians of many denominations wish to step away from such toxic practices, but the fact remains that they’re the enemy of individuality and self-love, and no amount of reasoning will change their worldview.

Culturally speaking, attitudes towards sex positivity are shifting, though not fast enough. There’s still stigma and ostracism linked to doing that which is the natural and human thing to do. We are told to not alter our body; Jobs still claim that it’s unprofessional to pierce or mark our skin, which seems to stem from a place of puritannical norms which originate in religious circles. 

Just imagine a world in which people are simply allowed to be themselves, and do with their bodies as they please, just as long as nobody else gets hurt. A world in which people can be intimate with others, sexually and/or emotionally; Not needing to worry about disapproval from their friends and family. A world in which people needn’t be closeted and hesitant to pursue their pleasures, whichever those may be. 

The group which came to be known as The Satanic Temple has been at the forefront of the battle against tyrannical mandates which seek to violate bodily autonomy for everyone. Chiefly amongst their seven fundamental tenets there is one which stands out, and it reads as follows: “One’s body is inviolable, subject to one’s own will alone.” Certainly, other Satanic groups have espoused similar sentiments, yet no other organization has managed to mobilize campaigns in so successful a manner as they. Currently, their focus is on reproductive rights, though it goes beyond that.

 As a federally recognised religion, it is their purpose to stand in opposition to other faiths that would use their status as such in order to impede individuals from seeking out ways to own their own body, and feel confident and comfortable in their own skin.

As both a queer and bisexual man, I have nothing but respect for them. I have been empowered during my time here. I have come to embrace who I am, and love myself wholly and without shame.

Though I am a card-carrying member, I cannot and do not speak for them. What I aim to do is simply to bring awareness to their campaigns, and their efforts to remain loyal to us all. To the oppressed and disenfranchised. To those who’ve been called abominations and aberrations in the eyes of some almighty man in the sky. Those of us who’ve been promised a place in the lake of fire now find solace amongst peers and equals.

And though we may not believe in a literal Satan, we believe in one another, and ourselves. And that is why we reclaim our bodies, as they are ours and ours alone.

So, hail yourself always. 

Ave Satanas.