URF - Has moved to TRIBE.NET for discussion in Tantric and Meta Physical and to network with other Faerie Networks. 155 Members. Paganism and Gay Spirituality: A Survey of Radical Faeries in Salt Lake City, Utah. Members are self-proclaimed "Radical Fairies". There is no such organization, and being one doesn't imply any certain belief or behavior. It is a general understanding that being a Radical Fairy comes about from seeing the world differently from most who live under the statistical bell curve. It also acknowledges that such people are more likely to be found out where the bell curve flattens than in the center where "common" and "ordinary" live.

Who are the radical faeries?

Um, "ask three faeries, get five answers?" ... ?

Okay. To attempt a short description, from one faerie's perspective, the radical faeries are a queer tribal nation sharing affinity in the spiritual underpinnings of non-mainstream sexuality and heart-centered relationship. We are historically and primarily gay men (many of us proudly seize the name "faggot"). And many who do not fit, or choose not to accept, these stereotypes also identify as radical faeries.

We are bards, wizards, shamen, and healers. We have always been, and will always be. Humanity requires our existence, no matter how dysfunctionally it may treat us.

And we are self-defining. We each choose to be who we are, and there is no authority but our hearts. We gather together, get naked and beautiful ... in oh-so-many different ways ... drop the world, and open to each other. Unless we don't feel like it. In which case we do something else.

Historically, the radical faerie movement traces its name to a 1979 "Spiritual Conference for Radical Faeries" in Arizona, called by Harry Hay, John Burnside, Don Kilhefner and Mitch Walker. This gathering concentrated and named a movement rising since the late 1960's. Since then, the movement has spread internationally, evolving many flavors, spaces, clans, ways, and communities along the way.

The faerie email list is one such community, or journal, or online heart circle, or not, or whatever we are to any one of us at any given moment in our lives.

Persimmon, Elfstone, Elam, and Paul Couillard have written more on this subject ("who are the faeries?") in their "Frequently Questioned Answers (FQA) about Faeries", as has the lovely Corbeau in his "Answers to Queries about Faeries". Mugwort expressed a view at RadFae.org. And, this navel gazing ("Whence and whither, oh fae brethren? Nay, Sistren! NAY, FAGGOTREN! NAY!! I'm not one of those ... um, what was I saying?? Oh, that's right, something about dogs ...") pilgrimages annually through the faerie list dialogues, gaining breadth and eloquence most every time. www.radfae.org/faerielist/