View Full Version : Gay-Friendly Tarot Decks
Lucifer_Sponge
14-03-2002, 23:30
Other than the Tarot of the Cosmic Tribe, I personally haven't seen or heard about any tarot decks that provide alternative Lovers cards for non-heterosexual people or otherwise prestent some sort of non-traditional symbolism that can suit the needs of people of all sexual orientations.
Does anyone else know of any decks like that?
~Sponge
faunabay
14-03-2002, 23:34
That's the only one I've heard of so far. Maybe someone else has another suggestion, but the Cosmic Tribe is the only one I know. And by the way - I love that deck!!!! :)
I have done a few searches before and have come up with zilch Lucifer_Sponge. The Cosmic Tribe is brilliant if you like that though... I just got the World Spirit and the Lovers in that look really quite androgenous... perhaps that is close?
Not the same I know...
A local bookstore has a deck in their case called the Dyke Deck. It is a store that caters to artists and free thinkers, so perhaps it is a feminist deck.
The Tarot of Light and Shadow by Michael Goeptford, although it has a heterosexual Lovers card, does have a lot of imagery where couples are androgenous.
There are other decks which, although they seem heterosexual in their overall approach, do seem to suggest a gay male sensibility in the art. One of these is the Art Nouveau Tarot by Matt Myers.
The Daughters of the Moon deck has two Lovers cards, I believe, one heterosexual and one showing two women.
On the Osho Zen Lovers card, the couple is angrogenous, as is the couple on the Shining Tribe Lovers card.
The Buckland Romani Tarot, while being completely heterosexual in orientation, contains many images of handsome young men stripped to the waist, while all of the women are fully dressed.
-- Lee
Another deck that seems quite androgynous to me is the Londa Tarot. I really like the deck. The Cosmic Tribe is a great deck, I have not had a deck speak to me like that one does!
The Tarot Art Nouveau (not the Meyers one, the Castelli) has quite a few cards with women who look like couples on them. The Lovers and 2 of Cups are heterosexual, but all other pairings except the Kings and their consorts are female. It is the closest thing I have seen to a lesbian deck.
Check out the Navigator's Tarot of the Mystic SEA deck. A strange but appealing deck featuring androgynous and brightly colored people (think blue, green and stripes). It may not be your style...It is very esoteric, and influenced largely by the Thoth deck. Worth checking out.
truthsayer
04-04-2002, 23:40
you might want to check out the wheel of change deck by alexandra genetti. in particular, the lovers card appears androgynous and the sun card features 2 boy babies. this deck is also the most cultural and racially balanced deck i've ever seen. it's pagan. the thing some ppl might not like is that even tho the deck uses traditional names, the court cards don't use kings, the major arcana are un-numbered and the pip cards don't have one specific symbol to represent each suit. they are clearly marked what card it is tho.
Silence Dogood
05-04-2002, 00:23
Tavaglione (sp?) was hot for both the female and male form; his decks are very sensual, and the Tarot of the Stars seems to have a lot of naked men in it. Does an abundance of male nudity necessarily mean a deck is gay-friendly?
Not necessarily... I mean, for example the Art Nouveau I mentioned seems lesbian-friendly to me not because the women are scantily clad (although some of them are), but because they are portrayed in a way that implies positive intimacy/sexuality/commitment between them. Of course, the fact that they're attractive doesn't hurt. :)
madameleribbit
22-04-2002, 20:01
The Daughters of the Moon tarot deck has an alternative card of the Lovers for non heterosexual orientated people. It also alludes to different cultures. I just love this deck, you can find a summary in this page, as well of some pictures of it.
Tarotbear 2
22-04-2002, 23:53
Androgeny is not the same as gay-friendly. Gays want to see themselves reflectd in the art, not an androgenous mix that is niether str8 or gay.
Kayne's 21st Century tarot is described as 'gay-friendly'.
Most decks i find are 'homoerotic' - that is not necessrily gay either. (Just because the men are naked with ample endowments does NOT mean it's a gay deck! It means the artist liked big dicks!)
all78degrees
12-05-2002, 18:52
Originally posted by Lucifer_Sponge
Other than the Tarot of the Cosmic Tribe, I personally haven't seen or heard about any tarot decks that provide alternative Lovers cards for non-heterosexual people or otherwise prestent some sort of non-traditional symbolism that can suit the needs of people of all sexual orientations.
Does anyone else know of any decks like that?
~Sponge
The real short answer to that is almost all of them.
It really depends on what you think the images portray. I can't really think of a card that means hetrosexual. The lovers card is not really about love its about choices. It just happens to use a well known portrayal of choice.
Phantasmagoric has a neutral scene, halloween uses dracuals entrance in a miadens bedroom, renaissance is a homo friendly deck as is pomo(both by brian williams.
all78degrees
Hey All78degrees! Welcome to Aeclectic. :DOriginally posted by all78degrees
The lovers card is not really about love its about choices. It just happens to use a well known portrayal of choice.I don't think you can say that the Lovers card is only interpreted as choices... after all, we each have our own interpretation of various cards and one of the strengths of tarot is it's flexability when it comes to these interpretaions.
all78degrees
13-05-2002, 13:12
Originally posted by kayne
Hey All78degrees! Welcome to Aeclectic. :DI don't think you can say that the Lovers card is only interpreted as choices... after all, we each have our own interpretation of various cards and one of the strengths of tarot is it's flexability when it comes to these interpretaions.
To be far to me I said it was not really about love, The lovers card is about lots of things but it is NOT predominately about an idea of hetrosexual love/relationships. In that case I would not immediately call a deck non gay frieindly for not having a two male/female lovers.
Some decks are however not male friendly MotherPeace and Daughters of the Moon.
hugs
all78degrees
The 78th Fool
19-07-2005, 15:40
Don't forget the Brotherhood Tarot by Patric Stillman. This is an explicitly gay deck and it was published not long after Lee's Gay Tarot. It is photo collaged and draws on gay mythology for many of it's themes. It's a wonderful, somehow happy deck and I use it a lot.
http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/brotherhood/
Chris. xx
closrapexa
19-07-2005, 16:31
I really, really, really, really, really, really love the Gay Tarot! I connect with it perfectly, and for some questions it is the only deck I use! I find it somewhat less useful for day to day questions, but relationship-wise, it is the best deck that I have for that!
Saleheim
19-07-2005, 16:35
I think Gay oriented decks are very cool, just belong to life just as Gay people do. Unfortunately I don't think they are easy to get in the Netherlands.
souljourney
19-07-2005, 20:51
Personally I think the World Spirit Tarot also is gay-friendly and not just the Lovers Card (which I think could easily be interpreted as 2 women).
I would love to see a "Lesbian Tarot" in the style of Lee's Gay Tarot deck.
sunflowr
12-08-2005, 06:37
Personally I think the World Spirit Tarot also is gay-friendly and not just the Lovers Card (which I think could easily be interpreted as 2 women).
Right about that! Also the Quest tarot has a Lovers card that is open to all interpretations, as well as characters throughout the deck that are pretty androgenous.
The 78th Fool
20-08-2005, 15:05
Most people watching this thread will already know but for anyone who doesn't I'm in the process of creating a new gay-themed tarot. If you want to see the completed cards have a look at my site:
www.butlerart.co.uk
All feedback is gratefully accepted! - This is a very 'elemental' deck - my idea was to draw a parallel between the working of the elements with the feelings and emotions of gay men. I don't know how well I'm succeeding but it's proving to be a very interesting journey!
Chris. xx