What is Gatekeeping?

What is Gatekeeping?

The word gatekeeping is a very hot topic with the pagan and spiritual community for an important reason. It talks about access, who should have it, who shouldn’t, and who should control access. This article goes into great detail about what gatekeeping is and is not, and how to identify it.

Let’s start with the actual definition from the Cambridge Dictionary “the activity of trying to control who gets particular resources, power, or opportunities, and who does not“(Cambridge).

However, we at Find Wise Ones know this broad definition is not what is used colloquially within the spiritual communities. To us, that definition is anyone who controls any knowledge of any kind is a gatekeeper. While that may be true in a general sense, there is a more nuanced and negative way that the pagan community uses the word. For that definition, we define gatekeeping as “a person with knowledge decides a personal set of rules to keep people away from information that is usually accessible to everyone”. What does that mean? We mean that all kinds of information are available for everyone without any requirements. However, some people think there should be limits on who knows these facts of life. People who believe only women should know how to cook, or that only men should know about home improvement. This can also include people who require others to “prove” a level of knowledge about something to be interested in it.

Before we dive into the faith side of gatekeeping, let’s go over some everyday examples of gatekeeping – some of which you may have experienced yourself:

• • • • “Why should I tell Judy how to change a tire? She’s a woman, she doesn’t need to know about cars!”
      • “Alex, you’ll have plenty of time to learn about safe sex practices when you’re older and married“
      • “You don’t need to buy herbal teas John, it’s just nausea. You’ll be fine.”

These are all examples of knowledge that does not require a degree, certificate, membership, NDA, etc to access, but the speaker or holder of information is keeping the information from the seeker.  None of these “reasons” given are legitimate reasons to withhold information. Judy should know how to change a tire. Alex should be allowed to know about safe practices regardless of age or marital status. John should be able to know and buy the tea he wants to help with whatever ails him. These are not pieces of information that are hidden, or protected in any way. However, the speaker in each of these has decided rules about how/when/who they will give out their information to. They have the power in these situations, and in doing so, are wrongly gatekeeping the information.

Not All Hidden Information Is Gatekeeping

There are cases, however, where the seeker of information is not qualified or entitled to the information. Here are some everyday/mainstream examples that should not be considered gatekeeping:

• • • • “We can’t tell you the recipe for KFC’s spice blend”
      • “We can’t talk to you about Suzy’s medical chart without her permission”
      • “We can’t give you a copy of Delta Delta Sorority’s Handbook unless you have gone through initiation.”

Each of these instances requires something to qualify you to receive the knowledge. You need to be an employee of a particular level and sign an NDA for the spice recipe. For Suzy’s medical information, you must have her sign legal documentation to qualify you for medical decisions since she is an adult. The third is an example of a group or society that keeps knowledge from you until you have satisfied their requirements of trust and/or initiation.

For some, the last distinction may be a little contrived, but sororities and frats are not the only groups or societies that block knowledge based on experience. Martial arts programs, trade schools, and even colleges block knowledge levels based on some criteria – some based only on payment, but most consistently require that you must be a part of their organization in some way, and then learn and master the basics before moving on. They are structured learning and knowledge programs of things that are not necessarily open knowledge.

Okay, but I can find it – so it’s gatekeeping, right?

Gatekeeping is keeping people from accessible material but, doesn’t that mean that everything is gatekeeping? In this age of tech, you will always find tidbits of protected information online. With the right skills, and the right people on the other end I could find out anything. With even fewer skills, I could search today on how to perform an appendectomy and find walk-through videos. After watching them though, that doesn’t mean I am qualified to perform the surgery, or that I can call myself a surgeon.

In the case of copyrighted or other protected information, there are always less scrupulous people that will share that information. Calling information protected doesn’t mean you cannot find it at all. It just means that the information is usually protected by barriers of some kind – experience, enrollment, etc. It doesn’t mean that medical school is gatekeeping because I can find some of the information online.

Gatekeeping in Pagan Faiths

So, how do we know whether or not someone in a pagan faith is being a gatekeeper? Some faiths are closed, and some require previous knowledge. Is someone cautioning you, or are they gatekeeping? Is paying for a class gatekeeping?

Use our quick checklist to find out if the person is gatekeeping. If you answer yes to more than one of these questions, the person may be gatekeeping:

1. 1. 1. 1. Think about where the origin of the actual information is – can you get the information easily without this person?
         2. Is the information you are looking for about a generic topic, or something talked about a lot?
         3. Are you looking for a simple definition of something?
         4. Does the person with the information require you to know something completely different before proceeding?
         5. Does the information giver cite a denial that includes their personal beliefs about whether or not you should know it?

Now, you may say how would I know if the information is generic or not?

• • • • • Information about a faith and what they follow is widely available – Not
          • Details about a particular private group or coven within that faith might not be available, but the tenets of an overall faith are generic enough.
        • Information about popular spells and types of spells can be researched and found – Not
          • Information about particular rites, rituals, etc, however, can be protected (i.e. what monthly cinnamon spells are and how to do them can be found. A coven’s private full moon ritual may be protected.)
        • Requiring payment for a book or class  – Not
          • You are paying for their time, expertise, and ability to explain the topic to you. Pizza places aren’t gatekeeping pizza just because they charge you for a slice of something you could make at home.
        • Warning a novice to try x before y – Not
          • Telling a novice not to study and learn about x before y can absolutely be gatekeeping if x and y are not related. Being told to learn herbology before making teas and salves makes sense with safety in mind. Being told to learn astrology before working with tarot is a personal belief and not a rule.
        • Telling You that you cannot do or learn something because they don’t believe in it – GATEKEEPING
          • Some may follow a faith or path that forbids knowledge or practices within their doctrine, but unless you are on that exact path with them, their beliefs do not restrict your path.

Gatekeeping, then, plain and simple, is controlling information that is not controlled by the majority of people who know it.

Gatekeeping or Tired Elders?

Finally, there is very often a response that gets labeled as “gatekeeping”, and it is pointing an individual to a source instead of giving the information outright. I can understand why some may label this as gatekeeping because the person with the information does not actually give the person the information. Some say that this is absolutely gatekeeping because they have the power to give the information and have decided not to. However, the person with the information shows the seeker where it is. They don’t hide it, or block it. They simply don’t give their interpretation of it. They give the seeker the source so the seeker can interpret the information for themselves.

Let’s think about this for a minute as if we were offline, and I am going to tell you a quick personal story. When I was little, and I did not know a word, I would ask my father for the definitions. Every time, usually without a word, he would hand me the dictionary. It always made me angry because He cOuLd HaVe JuSt ToLd Me! (ARGH!). So why did he point me to the dictionary instead of just answering? So I could learn how to use the dictionary and get information without him. Does it feel like you’re being condescended to? Yes. Is it frustrating? Yes. But, does it do you more good to tell you where to find the information? Yes. For many reasons, it does both the seeker and the knowledgeable person good.

1. 1. 1. 1. It allows the seeker to form their own opinions based on the source material and not based on another opinion.
            • Think about how information gets passed on in the game of telephone.
         2. It allows the seeker to gather more information than they originally needed without having to ask more questions of someone who may not always be around to answer.
            • How many questions do you feel comfortable asking a stranger in a conversation without asking them to just be your mentor?
         3. It allows the seeker to see the context of the information, as well as even be able to research the source material without accusing anything of the knowledgeable person.
            • We all have that relative that spouts information that makes us want to ask “Where the crap did you get that info from?!”
         4. It allows the seeker to find a mentor that fits them based on the research they have already done.
            • We all have to start somewhere, but if we start with the wrong mentor, we won’t know it until months or years later.

Alright enough, so tell me is it gatekeeping?

So, gatekeeping in everyday life, plain and simple is someone deciding you don’t need to know something, even though the information is not protected or secret by the majority of people who know it. Let’s look at our first examples and turn them into nongatekeeping

• • • • “Why should I tell Judy how to put the tire on the rim? She doesn’t work here and doesn’t have the right equipment to do it safely!”
      • “Alex, here are some age-appropriate materials on consent and safety with intimacy.”
      • “You don’t need to try acupuncture on yourself, John. Hire a professional instead.”