Wicca and LGBT people the Universe. Historically, the Christian church and lay-people have believed that more women than men are involved in paganism and witchcraft, which can be seen as far back as 1487 with the printing of the "Malleus Maleficarum" Several modern authors of Wiccan books state that, in current Wicca, the situation is the same. An exception to the traditional male/female dualism is Dianic Wicca (also known as Feminist Witchcraft and/or Feminist Spirituality), practiced almost exclusively by women. While most adherants are heterosexual, preferring to practice their spirituality with other women in pursuit of Women's Mysteries, the tradition takes pride in its
Wicca may be performed during this period, some time before the initiation proper, allowing the person to attend certain rituals on a probationary basis. Some solitary Wiccans also choose to study for a year and a day before their self-dedication to the religion. A large number of Wiccans do not exclusively follow any single tradition or even are initiated. These "eclectic Wiccans" each create their own syncretic spiritual paths by adopting and reinventing the beliefs and rituals of a variety of religious traditions connected to Wicca and broader Paganism. While the origins of modern Wiccan practice lie in covenantal activity of