Reclaiming the word 'Witch' for the modern woman

The word witch comes from the Old English Anglo Saxon language.

“Wicce” = for a female witch

“Wicca” = for a male witch

“Wiccecraft” = witchcraft

The origin of these words came from even earlier ones namely:

“Weid” = to see or to know, wisdom

“Weik” = to bend or to shape

Over the years, the gender specific terms of “Wicce” and “Wicca” were dropped and “Wicche” became the term used for both men and women who practised witchcraft.

It was not until the 16th century, the time of Early Modern English (15th-17th Century) that the word “Wicche” finally changed to include a ‘t’ and transformed into the word Witch as we know it today. It was at this point it mainly became associated with women too and instead of a status symbol turned into an insult - a term of derision and ridicule.

For the same reasons Black rappers refer to themselves in terms that were once used to insult them, we too, as modern women, need to take back our power and reclaim the word ‘witch’.

The Witch has received a bad press for far too long and we are on a mission to change that. Witches are not all ugly old hags, we do not sell our souls to the devil, we do not eat babies and we do not fly.

I created my first ever scented candle in honour of reclaiming the word ‘witch’ for us.

I called it Witch Bitch. Buy the candle here:

https://www.woodlandwitchery.co.uk/products/witch-bitch-candle

I called it this because, in the same way the word ‘Witch’ has been used to insult us, so has the word ‘Bitch’.

If like me, you've been called a bitch for standing up for yourself, voicing an opinion, showing leadership or expressing a good idea you will understand why we need to take back this word too.

So if you feel inclined to be a witch and practise witchcraft then you do it....Bitch!