Witchcraft in the Crossfire: Being a Witch in America’s Political Climate

Let’s talk about where witchcraft and politics collide.

Being a witch in today’s America isn’t just about spells and candles; it’s about survival, resistance, and speaking truth in a world that often fears us.

Witchcraft has always lived in tension with power. The “witch” gets scapegoated, demonized, and feared because they dare to stand for autonomy, knowledge, and resistance. That hasn’t changed. Here in the United States, the tension feels sharper than ever. When I walk into the local grocery store wearing my pentacle, I can feel eyes on me, weighing, judging. Every candle I light or charm I craft happens in a climate that feels increasingly hostile to bodily autonomy, queer existence, and diversity itself.

Witchcraft Has Never Been Apolitical

The witch trials were never really about magic. They were about control of women, of land, of anyone who threatened those who were the ruling class. Today, the stage looks different, but the script is familiar. After the last round of regressive legislation hit the news, I lit a candle in my bath. I called in love and protection, not just for myself, but for anyone overwhelmed by this political change. Even the smallest spell is an act of rebellion when our right to practice our craft is no longer guaranteed.

When the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, stripping away federal protections for reproductive rights, witches across the country lit candles, cast protection spells, and organized. That wasn’t superstition, it was outrage expressed through action. The rising tide of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, from bans on gender-affirming care to “Don’t Say Gay” laws, reflects the same agenda: narrowly define morality, enforce it strictly, and punish those who would challenge the status quo.

Witchcraft has always thrived in the margins. Each time lawmakers try to force people back into boxes of conformity, more witches come forward, reclaiming their identity as a sign of defiance. The more they try to silence us, the more energy we gather to resist!

The Witch as Political Symbol

The witch has long been reclaimed as a political icon. In the late 1960s, feminist activists formed W.I.T.C.H. (Women’s International Terrorist Conspiracy from Hell), staging protests against Wall Street and beauty pageants. Their point was clear: the witch is a threat to patriarchy because she refuses to be owned, silenced, or shamed.

Today, that same spirit emerges in new forms. During Black Lives Matter protests, witches performed rituals to protect activists. After the fall of Roe, groups organized collective spells of resistance. WitchTok demonstrates how witchcraft thrives on TikTok, becoming a digital space for sharing knowledge, solidarity, and political action. Yes, there are issues within WitchTok, but it is still a strongly held space for witches to share information and to organize.

The Personal is Still Political

Every act of witchcraft right now carries a charge. Building an altar to honor queer ancestors? Political. Lighting a candle for reproductive freedom? Political. Teaching children to respect the earth when school boards ban climate science and inclusive books? Political. Growing your own herbs, food, or learning about alternative medicines? Political.

Even when witches focus on personal practice (herbalism, tarot, ancestor work), they are engaging in resistance. In a country where fundamentalist Christianity often shapes laws, simply existing as a witch is an act of defiance.

But using magic alone cannot destroy the web of oppression that this regime has created. Mundane actions like voting, contacting representatives, and protesting are equally important. Witchcraft fuels the desire for change, but real progress requires both spells and effort. Witches must be willing to do the mundane along side their craft!

Searching yourself to find what strengths you have to offer can be empowering as well as extremely helpful to a group you want to join. Everyone can offer something to help. Maybe you are an herbalist and can teach others how to find wild herbs and how to create tinctures and other helpful concoctions. Those who have a talent of public speaking can assist in any public facing part of your group. Good at web design? You could help create a website for your group to help gain new members, create a blog, or provide helpful links.

Circles, Covens, and Collective Power

Witches don’t thrive in hierarchies; we thrive in circles. These circles have become a model for grassroots resistance. Online communities, local covens, and national networks create spaces for witches to share resources, uplift marginalized voices, and coordinate actions.

I hear from witch friends talking about hiding their craft because they fear losing jobs, family, or even custody of their kids. Just a few weeks ago in a town an hour from here, a woman was physically attacked at her place of business because a community member thought she was a witch. Now, this man is obviously mentally ill and needs help, but where do you think he got the push to attack those he doesn’t agree with? The overall social climate in these very red areas is tense at best, and in some places unsafe for a lone witch out in the community.

Many witches choose to be solitary, and that choice is valid. However, now is the time to step out of our comfort zones and gather in support of each other. In a world where authoritarian movements thrive on isolation and fear, witchcraft presents an alternative: connection, solidarity, and shared power. The circle is not just for rituals; it’s a form of resistance. There are many online spaces throughout social media that welcome all witches from all paths. Start a search for your witchy online home by checking with your witch friends and see where they like to spend time online. Browse social media for witchy creators that hold similar values and ideas that you could follow. Many witches are using Discord to organize and find their circle. It might take some time and effort, but finding a safe space is priceless!

If you are a witch in western Nebraska area and can travel to the area of Alliance, Nebraska please email me for details about our group gatherings! danae@witchywomanpodcast.com

Why This Moment Matters

Being a witch in the United States today means living in a country where your identity might be made popular on a Netflix series but targeted in legislative sessions. It means witnessing politicians weaponize religion to roll back rights, even as witchcraft gains popularity and visibility.

To me, activism means voting, teaching, and casting spells focused on justice. It may not seem flashy, but it holds power.

This moment matters because history shows what happens when authoritarianism grows: it first targets the marginalized, the healers, the truth-tellers… and the witches. Yet, witches have always survived. They have always found ways to adapt. They have always resisted.

Witchcraft is not just spiritual practice, it’s a declaration: I will not be silenced, I will not surrender my body or my beliefs to your laws, and I will not stop fighting for a future where we are all sovereign.

And maybe that’s why witches are needed now more than ever.