Mediumship in the Free State of Florida

Female mediums in Florida report that the state's conservative political climate paradoxically creates a supportive environment for their spiritual work. Surveys and interviews with mediums across Florida reveal that women's mediumship experiences and practices differ from men's, and that mediumship highlights key feminist themes in religious and spiritual experiences. The paper discusses how Florida benefits mediums and examines factors in central Florida that influence the work and experience of female mediums, drawing from feminist anthropology and anthropology of consciousness frameworks.

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Abstract

ABSTRACT As the state of Florida continues to foster its reputation as a conservative political bastion, questions arise about women's experiences in the state—especially in spiritual, religious, and consciousness contexts. Drawing from both feminist anthropology and the anthropology of consciousness frameworks, “Mediumship in the Free State of Florida” discusses women's experiences in the practice of mediumship. This paper examines how the mediumship experience is interpreted by feminist perspectives, if women's mediumship experiences and work differ from men's, and discusses factors in central Florida that influence the work and experience of female mediums. These issues were addressed in surveys and interviews with mediums throughout Florida, and several areas of interest to the feminist study of consciousness were revealed. This paper discusses how Florida is beneficial to mediums and how mediumship highlights key feminist themes in religious and spiritual experiences for women.