Witchhood as an Evolving Symbol for Otherness, Liberation, and Feminine Community
Karen Ko
Throughout history, folklore, and media, the witch has been feared, vilified, and misunderstood. From the accusations of past centuries to modern reimaginings, the figure of the witch reveals deep cultural anxieties about femininity, power, and resistance. The “Neurotic,” “Evil,” “Sinister,” and “Peculiar” Womxn Handbook explores this evolving identity, reclaiming the witch as a powerful symbol of defiance and transformation.
Divided into three sections, "The Accused Witch," "The Appropriated Witch," and "The Reclaimed Modern Witch," this book examines the witch’s journey from persecution to empowerment. The first section uncovers the historical persecution of women who defied societal norms by remaining unmarried, practicing homeopathy, or engaging in healing arts. It also examines the complex dynamics between accusers and the accused through the lens of Paulo Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed. The second section critiques the appropriation of the witch during second-wave feminism, where activist groups hexed powerful figures and reclaimed witchcraft as a tool of resistance—yet often failed to be inclusive of women who are not white. Finally, the third section envisions the witch as an intersectional, communal figure, transcending culture and history to empower and unite women across identities.
Accompanied by hand-drawn ornamental designs inspired by 15th–17th-century aesthetics, this book both literally and metaphorically weaves historical analysis using twine thread to illuminate the witch not as a relic of fear, but as a force of agency, creativity, and collective strength.