The national census for England and Wales is occurring on 21st March 2021. UK national statistician, Professor Sir Ian Diamond, has stated that after 220 years of the national census, this is likely to be the last census in this format.
Question 16 of the census relates to religion, with the usual boxes for what are considered the six major religions, as well as a box for those that identify as having no religion. Then there is a box for those of us who are members of other religions, with the option to add a descriptor.
In the last Census many Pagans naturally wrote what best described their own spirituality; and it is well known that if you ask ten Pagans to define their faith you would get ten very different answers. For example you may get a practitioner identify as Heathen, but for others it may be Asatruar, Anglo-Saxon Heathen, Northern Path or any other number of terms that describe a broadly similar belief system. This is perfectly understandable, but in terms of the census the self-defining and personal nature of Paganism may be detrimental to us.
If we continue to respond to the Census with very specific and niche definitions of our personal interpretations of our faith we will continue to see our Pagan communities divided into small – and in the eyes of the census – insignificant groups that are of little consequence to the overall data, and subsequently the needs and the voice of Paganism is diminished.
A great example of what can happen when we all work towards a common goal is the recent Diversity, Equality & Inclusion in Policing Survey that was carried out by Durham University on behalf of the National Police Chiefs Council. This survey looks at all manners of important aspects of policing, from job satisfaction, wellbeing, bullying in the workplace, discrimination and much more. The results of the survey directly impact the priorities of the government and chief constables in relation to supporting staff support associations, wellbeing initiatives etc.
The Police Pagan Association was keen that the voices of Pagan police officers and staff were not only heard but well represented in the survey, and carried out several months of messaging around the benefits of engaging with the anonymous survey. As a result there were more Pagan respondents than there were Hindu, Jewish, Sikh, Humanists or Agnostics, coming forth behind Christianity, Agnostics, Atheists and Muslims.
This has resulted in the entirety of the NPCC and the Home Office recognising that what was seen as a minority religion of little consequence is not only well represented within the police service, but has a voice that is actively engaged in directing the priorities for policing over the coming years. This small act of cohesive working has significantly impacted on how our Pagan communities are perceived, and will impact on legislation and procedures that affect us all.
If we all agreed to join together, whether we be Druids, Wiccans, Shamans, Heathens or diversifications thereof and simply identify ourselves as ‘ Pagan’ we would be able to achieve a significant and truly representative number which would actually register on the statistics, and make a difference.
This is not just about having an impact on the total number either; it is about what those statistics can be used for. They directly impact on the rights and recognitions many of us have been fighting for such as the review of marriage laws in England & Wales, which may be the opportunity to have handfastings recognised as legally binding, as they already are in Scotland. There are moves for Pagan chaplains in the Ministry of Defence, the fire service and the NHS, and an expansion of the number of chaplains in universities, hospitals and the police.
If we work together to ensure that we are counted as a large cohesive national community of Pagans we really will see the benefits that the census data can bring.
I will be joining the likes of Dan Coultas of the Defence Pagan Network, from whom this article is greatly influenced, because I too believe it can make a real difference to our communities, and give Pagans across the UK the same rights enjoyed by followers of other religions.