What the F is the Disembodied Gatekeeping Patriarchy?

Reimagine Our World
Written By Written by Meghan (she/her) Bursiek

I believe in a co-created future where we have all reclaimed our wisdom.

A future where we are able to discern between our inner voice of intuition & the internalized voice of the Disembodied Gatekeeping Patriarchy.

What the F is the Disembodied Gatekeeping Patriarchy?

The Disembodied Gatekeeping Patriarchy is a power-over spell & a pattern I notice in the work with my amazing clients.

Spells can be undone.

The Disembodied Gatekeeping Patriarchy has an evolving definition as I continue to analyze this pattern I notice out in the world & within myself.

Disembodied

We have been conditioned to separate from the body & to think of our body as a resource.

This shows up in our work attitude (work harder & push on through) & in media (put in a tampon & GO).

My clients share this internalized body disconnection as “being stuck in the head.”

Gatekeeping

We have been trained to believe that only certain people hold the key & control access.

An example is how our culture has deemed “higher learning” as something only found in colonialist academic institutions & not within the lived, embodied experience.

I see this in my clients when they strive to collect yet another certification before they feel worthy to share their wisdom.

Patriarchy

We live in a culture built upon the idea of dominance due to the gender binary construct.

This shows up in societal heteronormativity (partnership as boy & girl, only) & transphobia (what gender you are assigned at birth, only).

My clients express this internalization as “it’s only this or that” binary thinking.

How about we all say FUCK OFF to the Disembodied Gatekeeping Patriarchy?

The internalization of the Disembodied Gatekeeping Patriarchy…

  • Erodes our self trust

  • Disconnects us from our body

  • Minimizes our lived experience

The Disembodied Gatekeeping Patriarchy is a constructed spell by those seeking power over, therefore we can construct a NEW spell to create a culture of liberation.

h/t Kelly Diels for teaching me to name The Thing I notice.

h/t Starhawk for her teachings regarding the differences between power-over, power-from-within, & power-with.

Written by Meghan (she/her) Bursiek

Meghan is a Ritual Witch & Experience Creator. Intentional systems & containers are her magic. She supports people & organizations with integrating ritual into life, work, & personal practice without it becoming just another thing on the to-do list. Each week she sends a ritual email like you just read. Subscribe to receive Witchy Wednesdays (& thank you!)

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