The modern world has many cultures, with many overlapping minorities and identities that make us who we are. In the same way, many lesbians have found a comforting and unusual attraction to the world of witchcraft. 

This is not surprising. Both lesbians and witches have been at the forefront of feminism throughout history. Modern age witches are known for their feminism and activism, hosting parades and events to cultivate diversity and solidarity. The entire presence of lesbians rejects any dependence on men, so it is obvious that lesbians are passionate about equal rights for women. Both groups have been discriminated against, targeted, and killed for their identities. It is does not matter whether the accusations or rumors are true; both groups can identify with the same experience of an undeserved damnation by men and groups of power. 

Both groups have experienced negative stigma. The stigma of witches is to be insane, unhinged, emotional women who turn to evil magic, often aimed at harming "innocent" men and vulnerable people. Woman who reject witchcraft are innocent, clean, submissive beings at the servitude of men. Meanwhile, lesbians are assigned to be ugly, dirty, hypersexual beings because of the rejection of men as romantic partners. Additionally, masculine presenting lesbian woman experience their own unique stigma and stereotypes that separate them from womanhood. Both groups experience harm and violence by men, but also a separation from other women as well. 

These two identities find many commonalities in each other, and this explains why many lesbians are turning to witchcraft in the age of the internet.

I find myself to be on this special corner of the internet, where many LGBTQ+ witches post magical content and share experiences. On a personal level, almost all of my queer identifying friends own crystals, tarot cards, or other magic influenced objects. I have never deeply considered the connection between the two identities, but it makes a lot of sense. There is a safety in finding groups of similar experiences; we feel less alone in a world that has not always been so kind to people like us. 

 The history of the oujia board is interesting. I never thought about it like a way to reconnect with loved ones in the afterlife. Today, it's used as a horror trope or a fun prank for teenagers to play with. But, it really can have a deeper meaning than that. It is similar to a prayer or some type of closure after a loved one's death. I imagine how this would especially appealing after the civil war. It wasn't uncommon for families to never even get their husband's or son's remains back. Turning to magic or any means does not sound so crazy anymore.

The trauma on an entire generation has huge impacts on the trajectory of our future. The baby boom is the textbook example of this. Men are traumatized from the violence overseas, and women are launched back into domestic roles after a brief period of independence and empowerment. People turn to mentally escape in any way during this time, and one option was in The Chronicles of Narnia. This was a revolutionary fantasy novel that was set partially in the real world. Although the magical aspects are deeply present, the times are grounded in reality and relatable to their audience. It is about family and finding your place in the world, concepts that are strongly longed for in this unstable timeline. 

Today, we find ourselves in a devastating and life changing pandemic. I wonder what coping mechanisms related to magic and the fantasy world we will turn to as time continues. Already, I see some parallels to the baby boom of the 1950s with the flood of instagram engagements of my fellow classmates. Some of them are 20 years old. Quarantine has made us desperate for human connection, speed running millions of relationships either to full commitment or complete destruction. I have seen relationships bloom and thrive long distance completely through the internet, some of them not even meeting in person. I have also seen relationships fall apart after being trapped and muffled in the small quarantine space of a one bedroom apartment. It will be extremely interesting to see how our generation copes with the traumas of both the health crisis and human isolation over the span of over 2 years. I wonder if we will turn to magical tricks like the oujia board or the next big fantasy novel series. 

 Scientists have always been skeptics when it comes to magic. We spend our whole lives looking at things objectively, searching for explanations and predictable outcomes. Magic is not explainable or predictable. That is why scientists are so cautious in taking it seriously. 

What we don't realize is that magic and science are so intertwined. Historically, alchemists thought science was magic, simply because they did not have the resources to explain the physics or chemistry behind their experiments yet. An alchemist explored the nature of matter, specifically seeking to transform old materials into something new, like lead into gold. This is exactly what chemists, including me, do everyday. I find it fascinating that the practice and exploration of chemistry was considered a type of magic at one point in time. To the onlooker, with no understanding of the inner electron movements, thermodynamics, or anything, chemistry seems like one big magic trick. Have we never considered that it was the skeptic scientist who is the real magician?  

Modern medicine is so much more medieval than we normally like to think. We always want to trust in our modern doctors, although not everyone does, but we look down on our ancestors who believed in their folk healers. I always think about how they used to "drain" someone's diseased blood when they got sick. Doing a procedure like that today sound ridiculous and dangerous. But, what else did they have besides this and belief? In a century, or even a few years, people will say the same thing about current medicine. It's all about who we trust and the resources we have access to. But, somethings will stay because it continues to prove to be useful. 

Autopsies are the most medieval modern healthcare procedure we still have today. I had the privilege to observe autopsies this last summer. Autopsies are absolutely necessary and educational to the world of healthcare and forensics. Regardless, they are emotionally the most unnatural and gruesome experience. The sight itself is shocking and feels inherently disconnected from the modern world. Sometimes I imagine medieval healers doing the exact same procedure. They were the most educated at their time, and I know emotionally it wouldn't have been any easier. I think we forget healers and magicians were just humans too, and their descendants living in the modern world aren't any different today.