the.com/witches
the original women too independent for the neighborhood's comfort, now selling crystals on Etsy
means The plural of witch — people, traditionally women, believed to practice magic, cast spells, or wield supernatural power, whether feared, revered, or self-claimed.
from From Old English 'wicce,' the feminine of 'wicca' (a male sorcerer) — both tied to the verb 'wiccian,' to practice magic. The deeper roots are murky; it's possibly related to words for 'to bend' or 'to wake/rouse,' though etymologists argue this without final agreement. Note it has nothing to do with 'wicked,' despite the resemblance the centuries of witch-hunts made convenient. For ages the word lived as an accusation; only recently has it been reclaimed as a name people choose for themselves.
- salem toll
- twenty executed, most accusers were teenage girls
- flying broom
- likely hallucinogenic ointment, applied to mucous membranes
- pope blessing
- church doubted witches existed until the 1400s
- black cats
- medieval cat-killing may have worsened plague
- midwives accused
- healing women threatened the rising male medical guilds
salem witch trials — 20 people executed in massachusetts in 1692-1693 for alleged witchcraft
trixie mattel — drag performer and tv personality known for witch-themed aesthetic and performances
wicca — modern pagan religion with practitioners worldwide who identify as witches, founded mid-20th century