Llewellyn Publications - Llewellyns 2016 witches companion: an almanac for contemporary living

Why Fluffy Bunny Isnt Funny

Tess Whitehurst

Y ou may have noticed that a certain faction of the Pagan community has succeeded in coining a religious slur for people who are ostensibly within their own group. And in case you dont quite see it that way, its my intention to convince you that fluffy bunny is , in fact, a religious slur.

The first time I encountered the term was by way of a Facebook post that was going around. I dont remember what it said (something about how to tell the difference between a fluffy bunny and a real Witch), but right away I recognized myself as someone who was very likely to be called such a thing behind my back.

After all, I like rainbows and angels. I like positive affirmations. I like to be inclusive of diverse spiritual practices and beliefs. I dont eat meat or animal products because I do my best not to hurt or harm any living thing. I try to avoid affecting others free will or sending out negativity, because I believe that what I send out comes back in some form. In short, my witchy palette is tinged with lightness, brightness, and decidedly New Agey sensibilities.

I wasnt thrilled to learn that there was a disparaging nickname for people like me. To be frank, it hurt my feelings. Before I saw the Facebook post, I hadnt any inkling that mentioning white light might cause someone in such a seemingly open-minded community to utter a derogatory snicker. After I saw the post, I felt a spiritual self-consciousness at Pagan gatherings that I never thought Id feel.

If you think about it, the whole thing isnt actually that surprising. Remember in junior high and high school how the people who were most likely to call someone names were actually the most wounded deep down? They were tired of a lifetime of living in fear of rejection and ridicule, so they rejected and ridiculed others in an effort to beat everyone to the punch. Considering that, in general, Pagans are often considered the weirdos and outcasts in our predominantly monotheistic culture, it follows that some Pagans would seek out a way to reject a subset of their own counterculture. It confers a sense of power and superiority by allowing them (for once!) to be the one ridiculing someone elses path.

Now, some of you may be feeling defensive at this point. After all, you didnt think you were being mean or throwing around religious slurs! You just thought fluffy bunny was a cute little inside joke. Well, first of all, definitely dont beat yourself up! Were all always learning and changing and growing, and every single person makes mistakes. And second, just in case youre still not convinced that fluffy bunny is an unkind and unnecessary moniker, let me present the following arguments.

Calling Someone a Name Is Always Hurtful

Fluffy bunny doesnt sound like a terrible name, but it is insultingbecause you know that when youre called that, or even when you think you may be called that behind your back, its clearly intended as a dismissal and diminishment of your importance as a Witch and as a human.

Fluffy bunny doesnt sound like a terrible name, but it is insultingbecause you know that when youre called that, or even when you think you may be called that behind your back, its clearly intended as a dismissal and diminishment of your importance as a Witch and as a human. Just as calling a woman a seemingly benign name such as airhead or dingbat is actually a chauvinistic move meant to diminish her perceived authority, fluffy bunny is used to convince the listener that the person they deem deserving of that name is not to be taken seriously.

Labeling Someone Makes It Difficult
to Respect or Learn from Them

The minute you label someone, you cut yourself off from experiencing the fullness of who that person is. Personally, I find that I learn the most and feel the most alive when I think of everyone as a teacher, and as everyone being inherently worthy of my respect and attention. Although, like everyone, my ego sometimes takes over and I find myself playing the imaginary who is better than who game, my true self knows that we are all equal and we are all equally valuable, even if our talents and strengths appear in different ways. Indeed, those differences are what make life interesting and what allow us to learn from each other. Labeling other types of peopleespecially with labels that are intended to be dismissiveinsulates us from the great learning potential that comes from a celebration of diversity.