LGBTQ+ witches are taking over TikTok, and we love to see it. (Getty and TikTok/@starrmakesstuff)
While scrolling through TikTok, have you ever stumbled upon Witchtok? Specifically, Lesbian Witchtok?
In this corner of the internet, sapphics from all walks of life gather for witchy activities and share their craft – including spells and potions, tarot readings, crystal collections and more.
The lesbian dictionary demonstrates the abundance of lesbian identities – you’ve got the ‘U-Haul lesbian’, ‘golden retriever lesbian’, ‘GNC lesbian’, and ‘Gold Star lesbian’.
But amongst the sapphic categories, there’s also the witchy lesbian. This identity sees the lesbian and witch communities overlap.
What is Lesbian Witchtok?
Garnering millions of views on TikTok, Lesbian Witchtok is a section of the social media app where LGBTQ+ women and non-binary people show off their witchy endeavours.
On lesbian Witchtok, contributors document their day-to-day lives as witches with vlogs, how-to videos and explainers.
Whether it be elder witches teaching the younger generation, or witches helping guide their peers: altars, astrology, candles, crystals and deities are all regular topics in posted videos.
Many take on leadership roles in this community, including mintfaery godmother who describes themselves as a “forest prince” and “old non-binary witch.”
Minfaery often posts TikToks where they are in nature, exploring a woodland or searching for fairies.
They have also shown off their queer household, which includes a vast array of crystals and a witchy corner for spells.
Lesbian Witchtok contributors often provide guidance and support to fellow witches. Looking in, it seems to be a very supportive queer community that is fun, playful, positive, nature-focused and filled with good intentions.
Where does the term come from?
Lesbian Witchtok is rooted in a long history of queer women’s relationship to witchcraft.
Witchy activities can be defined loosely under the umbrella term of paganism. However, there are also neo-pagans, referred to as Wiccans. Neo-pagans take their inspiration from ancient beliefs, but the practice is distinctly modern. It is this sort of witchcraft that is most commonly seen on TikTok.
TikTok user @rainbowhistoryclass posted an explanation of the Lesbian Witchtok phenomenon and outlined “the Venn diagram between witches and lesbians is a circle.”
“It’s really hard to find documented accounts of queer women being accused of witchcraft throughout history.
“(However) there is one: Maud Galt. She lived during the 1600s in Kilbark in Scotland. She was married to a man named man but she had a very abusive relationship with her servant, Agnes.”
History says that Agnes and two neighbours reported Galt had used a clay phallus on them. The Privy Council decided to pursue a charge of witchcraft.
Many historians note that Galt’s case demonstrated that at the time that authorities found witchcraft a more digestible notion than lesbianism.
“Many of the women burnt at the stake might have been queer. Simply being unmarried was a curse for suspicion during these times,” @rainbowhistoryclass adds.
What is the sapphic witch flag?
Sapphic witches also have their own flag! However, there doesn’t seem to be one single, unified and agreed upon lesbian witch flag.
Similar to the lesbian flag, this sapphic witch flag also has a number of different stripes of pinks and purples, ranging in lightness and darkness.
This iteration of the flag labels the stripes as commitment, desire, bond, peace, love, satisfaction and trust.
Lesbian Witchtok’s spell on Kehlani
Casting hexes and spells occurs on the regular, but the most recent subject of Lesbian Witchtok’s spellcasting is none other than lesbian singer-songwriter Kehlani.
On Wednesday 3 April, a TikTok by Jakayla Toney depicted a small summoning circle where three individuals could be seen holding hands surrounding a piece of paper with Kehlani’s name and the words “The Woods” – the event is a weekly queer party in New York City.
The caption reads: “Us hoping Kehlani shows up for the lesbians at The Woods. PLEASE. I’M GOING IN THE RAIN JUST FOR YOU.”
Also, the video’s Spanish chant roughly translates to: “Hear the words of the witches. The secrets hidden in the night. We invoke the ancient gods now.”
The 28-year-old lesbian icon was seemingly summoned by the makeshift prayer circle! Just a few hours after the TikTok was made live, the stars aligned.
Kehlani did in fact appear at The Woods to enjoy herself amidst NYC’s sapphic nightlife, despite the heavy rainfall.
“We manifested Kehlani coming to The Woods and it worked,” the caption reads. “BRO TONIGHT WAS WILD.”
This is just one glorious example that proves that contributors to Lesbian Witchtok are the sapphic heroes we need in 2024.