“It is of interest that many of the trickster gods display a confusing ambiguity in their gender, such as Hermes, Mercury, Loki…
“It is of interest that many of the trickster gods display a confusing ambiguity in their gender, such as Hermes, Mercury, Loki and Dionysius. However, it is not just in their gender-characteristics where there is uncertainty, these beings that walk between the worlds often conflate those things that are opposite by simultaneously displaying two contrary behaviours at once, such as being sacred and profane, foolish and wise, prince and pauper etc. This overturning of restrictive hidebound tradition is exemplified in the many revels wherein social norms are inverted, and which are often held in honour of transgressional gods, such as the Hysteria held in honour of Aphrodite, the feasts of Dionysius, the 15th Century Festival of Fools and the Topsy Turvy where the poor dress as kings, men as women, women as men, bishops as monks etc. Such inversions were also utilised by witches as an outward sign of their magical calling, some choosing to wear their clothes back-to-front or inside out, wearing petticoats over dresses or wearing scarves about their waists instead of their necks, all of these evoking a sense of ‘otherness’. Besides preserving freedom by a refusal to be bound, confined or defined as one thing or another, it also exemplifies the one true path to Wisdom wherein duality is resolved, this being symbolised by the Fire of Enlightenment burning between the Twin Horns of the Fallen Star.”— Martin Duffy - The Devil’s Raiments: Habiliments of the Witch’s Craft