It sounds like a mad-libs prompt. You’ve got Charlie Kirk, the face of Turning Point USA, and then you’ve got the sprawling, incense-scented digital marketplace of Etsy witches. It’s weird. It’s basically a collision of two worlds that should never, ever meet in the wild, yet here we are.
This whole thing kicked off when Kirk decided to shine a spotlight on a very specific, very niche corner of the internet: "Spellcasting services." If you’ve spent any time on Etsy lately, you know it’s not just hand-knitted scarves and vintage mid-century lamps anymore. It’s a massive hub for the occult. We are talking about people selling everything from "hex your ex" jars to "financial abundance" rituals performed via a digital download. Kirk saw this and, predictably, had some thoughts. He wasn’t just browsing for a new coffee mug; he was sounding an alarm about what he viewed as a spiritual and cultural decay.
The internet reacted exactly how you’d expect. One side saw it as a valid critique of a secular society losing its way, while the other side—the practitioners themselves—saw it as a hilarious misunderstanding of their craft. But honestly, beneath the memes and the outrage, there is a fascinating story about how the digital economy has commodified belief systems.
The Charlie Kirk Etsy Witches Critique Explained
Kirk’s primary beef wasn't just that these shops exist. It was the scale.
He pointed out that thousands of transactions are happening every single day where people pay actual, hard-earned money for someone to light a candle and say a prayer (or a curse) on their behalf. To Kirk, this is evidence of a vacuum. He argues that as traditional religious institutions see a decline in participation, younger generations aren't becoming "rational atheists." Instead, they are filling that void with what he calls "paganism" or "dark spirituality." It’s a classic culture war talking point: the idea that the West is trading the Bible for a crystal collection.
But here is the thing.
Etsy is a business. A massive one. The platform’s transition from "crafty hobbyists" to "metaphysical services" happened so slowly that most people didn't even notice until it became a multimillion-dollar sub-sector. When Kirk brought it up on his show and across social media, he framed it as a sign of the times—a warning that the "occult" has gone mainstream.
What are these shops actually selling?
If you search for "spell" on Etsy right now, you get over 100,000 results.
- Love Spells: The most popular. People want their crush to text them back.
- Hexes/Curses: Often marketed as "justice" or "cleansing" of toxic people.
- Career/Money: Rituals to get a promotion or find a new job.
- Tarot Readings: This is the "gateway" service for most users.
Kirk’s commentary focused on the idea that these aren't just "kinda" harmless hobbies. He views them as spiritually dangerous. Whether you agree with him or not, the sheer volume of sales proves that there is a massive market for this. It’s not just a few people in capes; it’s a global digital economy.
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The Witchy Response: Why Etsy Practitioners Don't Care
The "Etsy Witches" didn't exactly go into hiding after Kirk’s segments. If anything, it was a marketing boon.
In the world of online spiritualism, being "called out" by a conservative firebrand is basically a badge of honor. Many practitioners argued that Kirk completely missed the point of what they do. To many of these sellers, they are providing a form of community-based therapy or mindfulness. They see their work as helping people set intentions.
"It’s about manifestation," one seller (who prefers to remain anonymous for fear of further platform bans) told me. "People feel powerless in this economy. They feel like they have no control over their love lives or their bank accounts. If buying a $10 'success ritual' gives them the confidence to go into a job interview and crush it, who is Charlie Kirk to tell them it's wrong?"
The Platform Policy Dilemma
This leads to a really messy conversation about Etsy’s own rules. Technically, Etsy has had a rocky relationship with metaphysical services. Years ago, they famously banned the sale of "non-tangible" items. This was supposed to clear out the spells.
Sellers got around this by shipping a "tangible" item—like a small crystal or a printed certificate—along with the "spiritual work."
It’s a loophole.
A big one.
Kirk’s followers often point to this as hypocrisy. If Etsy bans certain political speech or products they deem "hateful," why do they allow the sale of "hexes" which are, by definition, intended to harm someone? It’s a fair question from a purely logical standpoint, even if you think the idea of a hex is total nonsense.
Why This Collision Matters in 2026
We are living in an era where the "Spiritual but not Religious" (SBNR) demographic is the fastest-growing group in the West.
When Charlie Kirk talks about Etsy witches, he is tapping into a very real anxiety among conservative Christians. He isn't just talking about a website; he’s talking about a shift in the American landscape. For a long time, the "Satanic Panic" of the 80s was seen as a relic of the past. But this new version is different. It’s not about teenagers in basements; it’s about stay-at-home moms and corporate professionals buying "protection spells" to get through their work week.
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It’s the "Amazon-ification" of the soul.
Everything is a product. Everything has a five-star review system.
The Nuance Most People Miss
One thing that gets lost in the shouting matches is that a lot of these "Etsy Witches" are actually just savvy entrepreneurs. They are photographers, graphic designers, and copywriters who realized they could make three times as much money selling "energy" as they could selling logos.
It’s a gig economy hustle.
The complexity lies in the fact that for the seller, it might be a business, but for the buyer, it is deeply personal. When Kirk attacks the industry, he isn't just attacking the sellers; he’s attacking the psychological needs of the buyers. That’s why the backlash is always so fierce.
Moving Beyond the Controversy
So, where does this leave us?
If you are a consumer or just someone watching this play out, it is important to look at the data rather than just the rhetoric.
- The "Witchcraft & Metaphysical" market is estimated to be worth billions globally.
- Traditional religions are struggling to find a footing in purely digital spaces.
- Regulation on these services is almost non-existent because you can't "prove" a spell didn't work in a court of law.
Charlie Kirk’s focus on this niche might seem like a distraction from "real" politics, but it’s actually a very targeted move. He knows that culture is downstream from worship. By highlighting what he sees as the "absurdity" of Etsy’s spiritual marketplace, he’s attempting to draw a line in the sand for his audience.
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Actionable Insights for the Digital Age
Whether you find Kirk’s take insightful or offensive, there are practical takeaways here for anyone navigating the modern web.
Check the Fine Print: If you are buying any "spiritual service" on a platform like Etsy, read the disclaimer. Most sellers include a "for entertainment purposes only" clause. This is their legal shield. If they don't have it, they are likely in violation of the platform's Terms of Service.
Understand the Algorithm: Know that your "outrage" is fuel. When Kirk posts about witches, and witches post about Kirk, the only real winner is the algorithm that gets thousands of comments.
Recognize the Market: If you’re a business owner, look at the Etsy witch phenomenon as a lesson in "niche dominance." These sellers have mastered the art of community and specific problem-solving (even if the solution is metaphysical).
The reality is that "Etsy witches" aren't going anywhere. Neither is the conservative critique of them. As long as people feel a sense of uncertainty about the future, they will seek out ways to control it—whether that's through a political movement or a $15 spell jar.
The intersection of Charlie Kirk and the occult is just the latest chapter in a very old story about who gets to define what is "true" and what is "dangerous" in a free market of ideas. It's messy, it's weird, and it's perfectly representative of our current moment.
To stay informed, pay attention to how major platforms like Etsy or TikTok (where #WitchTok has billions of views) change their "Prohibited Items" policies in the coming months. These changes often happen right after a public figure like Kirk brings a niche topic into the mainstream spotlight. Keeping an eye on those policy updates will tell you more about the future of digital expression than any single tweet or podcast episode ever could.